Middle School students are busy learning, designing and creating to try and solve problems and help people.

Assistive Technology

In the Digital Technology class, students are learning they can be creators of technology using 3D printers. Using Tinker Cad software, students were challenged to design and 3D print a simple tool that would make life easier for people in some way. People who have arthritis in their hand (for example) may find it hard to open a lid on a jar or to do up buttons on a shirt. Solutions in these cases could be a tool with large handles that grips the lid or a button tool that pulls buttons through the buttonhole. We call these types of tools assistive technology.

Assistive technology like this is traditionally expensive to buy but thanks to 3D printing it can be designed and printed at low cost. Working on authentic real-world problems provides an opportunity for young people to think about how they can use their abilities and resources to help others.

Reflection from Caleb Noel (Y9 student) on his plastic bag carrier tool

Planning/Design:
This invention first came from a website called New Inventions. It also helps with groceries. When the bag is hurting your hand, you can just use this and it will be easier. It is easy to travel with and won’t slow you down. It has a hole in the middle to hold onto your hand with comfort. It is an idea that a lot of people would need and it helps people. It only weighs 0.2 kgs.
Finished Product: It is functional and meets all requirements. It is a great object to help out people during their everyday life. The bag is able to hold up quite a few bags of groceries. I used more advanced Tinker Cad skills.
 

Using Robots

Robotics provides hands-on opportunities for students to learn to problem-solve and encourages teamwork.
Pictured below: Students constructing a basic drive train robot.

Pictured below: Designing an intake system for our robot using the whiteboard table. 

Problem solving; all three students pictured below are working hard together to solve the best way to mount the intake system on their custom robot.

Pictured below: These girls have created a controller for the game they designed and coded in Scratch.

Steve Epsom
Digital Technology Teacher