“Building” knowledge by creating manipulatives with the 3D printer: a course for mathematics student teachers

Abstract

3D modelling and printing (3DMP) is a suitable context for education. With it, own manipulatives for mathematics education can be created, which was not possible easily before. We develop a seminar at Goethe University, in which use 3DMP to teach mathematics student teachers about mathematics, pedagogy, and technology. In this paper, we present the general 3DMP process, and how we integrate it in the seminar. The structure and contents of the seminar, as well as results from the students are laid out. The hardware and software used are shown and explained, as well as our approach to 3D modelling with the help of programming. The individual iterations of the seminar and the conclusions show that students mainly benefit from being able to realize their ideas very early and having the freedom to choose their own topic.