The Role of Digital Fabrication in Today's Society

Abstract

Digital fabrication and the “maker movement” can play a major role in bringing computational technology into the 21st century classroom. Digital fabrication is defined as the process of translating a digital design developed on a computer into a physical object or any process for producing/printing a three-dimensional (3D) object. The maker movement is a platform for today's futuristic artisans, craftsmen, designers and developers to create, craft, and develop leading ideas and products. Digital fabrication and “making” could provide a new platform for bringing powerful ideas and meaningful tools to students. Digital fabrication has the potential to be “the ultimate construction kit.” Digital fabrication has strong ties to the maker movement. Maker spaces provide students with safe areas that allow students to safely use digital fabrication to make, build, and share their creations. This chapter will look at the role that digital fabrication can play in incorporating computational technology into the K-12 classroom.