STEAM Pilot Program Recap
Showcasing our STEAM Pilot Program for High School Students
The Wheelhouse Makerspace is excited to share the successful completion of our June series of events of the STEAM Pilot Program for High School Students. These sessions inspired and equipped high school students with a comprehensive understanding of modern manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing, CNC machining, and laser cutting. We aimed to help students transform their ideas into tangible solutions that address real-world challenges, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and an interest in innovative careers.
Objective
The goal of this program was to inspire and equip high school students with an understanding of how modern manufacturing technologies—such as 3D printing, CNC machining, and laser cutting—can transform ideas into tangible solutions that address real-world challenges. Through engaging stories, hands-on demonstrations, and practical activities, students learned the principles of design thinking, explored the capabilities and limitations of each technology, and applied their knowledge in problem-solving group sessions. This experience aimed to foster creativity, critical thinking, and an interest in innovative careers, leaving students with both a memorable takeaway and a foundation for future exploration in modern manufacturing.
Why This Program Matters
Hands-On Learning: Provides practical experience with modern manufacturing technologies.
Creative Development: Encourages creativity and critical thinking through design thinking and problem-solving exercises.
Career Exploration: Offers insights into innovative career paths in modern manufacturing and technology.
Background
Each session began with an engaging story that demonstrated the power of bringing ideas to life with technology. Students learned about remarkable inventions that started as simple ideas and were transformed through technology. We explained the process of turning a concept into a product, emphasizing the iterative cycle of ideation, design, prototyping, testing, and manufacturing. The design thinking approach, which encourages empathy, creativity, and iterative learning, was also introduced to help students develop a user-centric mindset.
The program included a deep dive into modern manufacturing technologies. For 3D printing, students received a simplified explanation of the process, saw live demonstrations, and discussed the capabilities, limitations, and future trends of this technology. They explored real-life applications of 3D printing across various industries. Similarly, for CNC machining, students learned the basic principles, saw demonstrations, and understood its strengths and limitations. The sessions also covered laser, plasma, and water-cutting technologies, showcasing their precision and versatility through live demonstrations and practical applications.
Hands-on Activities
The students designed business names and logos, and we then laser-cut business cards and 3D-printed keychains featuring their logos. This activity not only taught the basics of 3D modeling and additive manufacturing but also allowed students to take home personalized projects. Additionally, students participated in a group ideation and problem-solving session where they brainstormed to identify a problem and conceptualize a product using the discussed technologies. This exercise fostered critical thinking and creativity, encouraging students to apply technology to real-world problems.
Throughout the program, students engaged in practical activities such as removing parts from the 3D printer and assembling their projects. They also had the opportunity to ask questions about the technologies, the ideation process, or potential careers in these fields during a Q&A session. Each session concluded with a wrap-up and feedback collection to ensure continuous improvement.
This program was significant as it provided students with hands-on learning experiences, encouraged creative development, and offered insights into innovative career paths in modern manufacturing and technology. We invite our community to follow along with the progress and achievements of our students by staying connected with us on social media for updates, photos, and more information about our events.
