Overcoming barriers to the implementation of 3D printing in schools

Five years ago, three-dimensional (3D) printing technology captured the attention of the education sector as an emerging technology with the potential to facilitate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education through learning by doing. However, adoption rates are low, and the technology’s visible effects on teaching and learning are minor. Despite the slow uptake of 3D printing technologies in schools, meaningful observations of the benefits and challenges involved in integrating these technologies into curricula could provide suggestions for further opportunities. Focusing on issues identified in Korean schools’ implementation of 3D printing education, therefore, this chapter evaluates the implementation of digital fabrication education initiatives, including whether they have revolutionized teaching and learning in the K–12 context, and provides ideas for future development. Copyright © 2020 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.