Education is one of the key topic at the STS. Scientific education is lagging behind in many countries, the United States are losing grounds to China and India. A lack of scientific culture is felt as a major hurdle in solving the huge problems laying ahead, from health care to food supply. MIsguided attitude on GMOs is blocking an increase in productivity in many poor countries. Crops resting to draught, to insects are not planted because of opposition to GMOs in countries that have other form of food supply but that opposition hampers countries that desperately need them.

How can education meet the challenges ahead? Is formal and structued education the way to go or will it be supplemented, displaced by new individual forms of learning?

Is Facebook, YouTube going to replace the present education approach? Is the younger generation going to be so used to the Internet world that they will not consider, unless forced, to use today’s approaches to learning?

Is it possible to learn outside any scheme? Wouldn’t that create the problem of an education that is not sound? 

Will education move to an open environment enabling education ecosystems across countries boundaries?

Can you imagine students being able to print their projects in 3D at school?

Well, it seems that students from a few Hawaiian schools can. With the support  of Hawaii’s State Department of Education in partnership with Z Corporation, a leader manufacturer in 3D printers, students can send their files with their final project to be printed in 3D (http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/04/z-corps-3d-printers-available-to-hawaiian-school-students-the/). Depending on the prototype, the students may have a better idea how they can improve their work and make possible adjustments that can only be noticed after having a 3D print on hand.

The popularity of 3D printers at schools will have a great impact on the education system of those schools. As stated in the press release of Z Corporation, 3D printers give students ample opportunity to experience the design process from idea to finished product, putting more finished models in the hands of more students faster. Printing speed is critical for large classes, cross-discipline printer sharing, and meeting project deadlines, such as the end of term. Students in the field of design, engineering, manufacturing, etc will definitely not take this for granted, but rather enhance their skills and can probably increase their career prospects.

The picture above is a 3D printer from Z Corporation and 3D print.