1. 3D printing from Thingiverse

The 3D printer experience is one of a kind. It was fascinating to see how the printer works and how one can print something out of pure imagination and make it into a 3D figure. The length of time to print a design depends on the complexity of the design as well as its details and size. It can take two hours or even up to 24 hours to print a design. You can change its dimensions and design through a program on the computer that connects to the 3D printer. My group chose to print a 3D roller coaster for our future math class. For an educator, the 3D printer can be useful in the classroom as it can provide a visual and tactile representation of a concept or idea for students to feel and see.

2. Robot Exploration (Ozobot)

With a click of a button, Ozobot was activated and turned on and ready to show his cool tricks. He is able to detect the difference between colors and is coded to do certain tricks like turbospeed or turning left or right, depending on a group of colors. For example, blue, red, and green blocks together were one trick while green black and red were another. His bright blue light is a cool robot but limited in comparison to Dash & Dot. These robots, on the other hand are a lot more interactive and playful. With the use and help of a program you download onto your phone or tablet, you can control Dash’s movements, either to go in endless circles or to even play the xylophone. There is a lot more you can do with Dash and Dot than Ozobot because Ozobot is already coded to follow colorful patterns, recognize what pattern it is and execute the action the colors represent whether it is speeding up or turning around.

3. VR Exploration

The VR exploration was an interesting experience. Personally, I thought it was a very futuristic experience as the eye mask and two controllers really bring you into the virtual world and immerse you into the game. It is very realistic, to the point where you lose the sense of perception in reality and those who do not wear the eye piece may find you looking ridiculous as you face the wall, but in the game you’re perfectly fine. When I took the eye mask off I found myself sitting in a different direction than when I first started. The VR may serve to offer students the opportunity to step into places, roles, and experiences that were previously seen as impossible, or at the very least, inaccessible to most.