What You Need to Know About Self-Paced Curriculum
3D printers are a fantastic new tool with many uses in many fields and even in hobbies, but learning how to use one can be challenging when you're not familiar with the technology. If you want to learn the basics of 3D printing for fun or for a living, taking a class is an ideal way to get off to a good start and avoid wasting time and energy.
But these days, who has the luxury of time to go to class? The answer may lie in a top-notch, self-paced 3D printing curriculum. We have compiled some excellent resources for learning 3D printing online with a teacher that you can follow at your own speed.
What is Self-Paced Learning?
To put it simply, self-paced learning allows students to go through the course materials at their own leisure and pace, wherein the student, rather than the teacher, takes the lead, as opposed to in a typical classroom setting or in a cohort setting. Participants can choose how much time they want to devote to each lesson or section of the course with self-paced learning. This allows for a more tailored method of instruction, as each learner can identify their specific requirements and areas of interest.
Advantages of Self-Paced Curriculum
With that out of the way, let's dive into the benefits of a self-paced learning program for instructional designers and learners alike.
1. Provides the Freedom to Work at Their Own Speed
Learners have the freedom to go through the content at their own speed, which is a major benefit of self-paced learning. Since not every person learns at the same rate, this increases their chances of success. Being in a full-time job, being a parent or carer, or having a disability can all affect how quickly someone learns new material.
Those who study at a slower pace can still benefit from self-paced learning just as much as those who learn at a faster pace. These attendees won't feel stifled in their learning and can skip ahead if they want to.
2. Promotes Better Time Management and Self-Regulation Skills
Some people may struggle with time management and self-discipline in the absence of instructor-mandated due dates. Because of this, learning at one's own pace can be rather beneficial. Novices can learn to manage their own time effectively and complete assignments independently.
Skills in self-control and time management are useful in many areas of life, not just education. Rather, they are transferable abilities that can help you succeed in your career and in life. The ability to work independently, occasionally without set deadlines, is a necessary skill for many professional occupations. Therefore, employees who have worked with self-paced learning before may have an advantage in other settings as well.
3. Learners Won’t be Stressed Out
Approximately 25–40% of American students have exam anxiety, according to studies. Unfortunately for others, this fear may follow them throughout their careers after college. Because of this, those who are already struggling to keep up with their coursework may find self-paced learning to be an invaluable resource.
Scholars can avoid social or test anxiety by learning at their own speed, which does involve self-motivation. This allows them to finish tasks whenever they are most motivated and confident in their abilities.
4. Makes it Possible to Enroll Big Groups
Larger class sizes are another perk of self-paced learning for pupils and businesses. This increases the likelihood that students will be able to enroll in the course before it fills up. On the other hand, not only is the course accessible to more people, but it also saves time and effort for businesses. It is more efficient for businesses to hold a single self-paced learning program that all learners can participate in rather than many instructor-led sessions with smaller groups.
5. Reduces Expenditure for Businesses
Businesses also get financial benefits from allowing employees to learn at their own speed. Additionally, there is a cost associated with L&D programs, even though there are substantial returns on investment from training and development. The development of educational programs frequently necessitates the hiring of expensive instructional designers, teachers, and eLearning platforms. Therefore, it may be more cost-effective to design self-paced learning programs with longer enrollment periods.
4 Self-Paced Curriculums for 3D Modeling
1) SelfCAD: The Best 3D Modeling Tutorial & Course
For enthusiasts who want to learn how to print things in 3D, SelfCAD is the best choice for 3D design tutorials and classes. SelfCAD makes sure that students from elementary school through high school have a smooth learning experience throughout their school years. Get to know how SelfCAD works in the video below.
Cross-curricular use is one of SelfCAD's best features; it lets students use their 3D modeling skills in a lot of different subjects. SelfCAD works well in a wide range of educational settings, from modeling a virtual biology lab to learning about animal anatomy to exploring the intricacies of geometry in real life.
The SelfCAD Academy offers complete course packages that let you learn at your own pace or with the help of a teacher. Students learn everything they need to know about 3D modeling through hundreds of video lessons, interactive tutorials, and various YouTube videos. You can also checkout the Education page of SelfCAD to get to know more.
In addition to 3D modeling tools, the software also comes with 3D printing tools like the in-built online slicer that you can use to slice your files and generate the G-code to send to your 3D printer. Learn how to slice files in SelfCAD in the video below.
With its end-to-end design features, SelfCAD becomes the best choice for people who want to learn 3D modeling on a complete and easy-to-use platform.
Price: Free version, Early Adopter Package: $69.99/user per year, SelfCAD Pro: $139.99/user per year
2. Udemy
Udemy is a powerful platform for adaptable skill development. It is one of the most popular places to learn about cutting-edge tech from professionals, with approximately 200,000 courses that have benefited 67 million students.
If you're new to 3D printing and are interested in purchasing a fused deposition modeling (FDM) machine, the "Ultimate 3D Printing Course (FDM)" is a great place to start. You will undoubtedly become an authority in no time at all with the help of 38.5 hours of on-demand video instruction that you can see on any TV or mobile device. There is a certificate available to demonstrate your knowledge, in case you are required to do so by a job.
Despite the name, this course covers both FDM and resin 3D printing; it will also help you choose which printer is best for you and get you started using it.
Steven Mosbrucker, a mechanical engineer, teaches the course and goes over the fundamentals of software, materials, and technology. With ratings from over a hundred students, the course is 4.6 out of 5.
Course Link: Udemy.
Cost: $100
3. Coursera
Coursera, a global subscription online learning platform that has been around for ten years and collaborates with almost 300 universities to provide "really world-class education for all, anytime, anywhere," is a great place to start looking for a 3D printing course that interests you. You'll have to shell out around $44 per month to become a member of Coursera, but hey, when you've mastered 3D printing and 3D software—there are plenty of those—you can take classes to improve your photography or study Chinese.
Participate in the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's "3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Specialisation" class in this location. In this introductory course, professionals from academia and industry (including Ultimaker and Autodesk) will teach you the ins and outs of 3D printing and how these machines function. Additionally, it provides an overview of the necessary abilities for 3D modeling, the digital component of product creation. The ability to design, prototype, and manufacture are all transferable talents.
Course Link: Coursera.
Cost: $44/month
4. Skillshare
Skillshare is a well-liked platform for online education. What sets this platform apart from the competition is its subscription-based approach, which centers around courses that teach real skills in creative and professional domains. Classes like "How To Design And Create Cookie Cutters" using 3D printing are ideal for those who learn best via hands-on experience.
The five-hour courses aren't very common here, but what you will discover are groupings of shorter lectures that, when taken together, provide a comprehensive overview of 3D printing.
"Introduction to 3D Printing: An Easy Start to Your First 3D Design" is a beginner-level lesson that spans a little over an hour and covers multiple steps in eight short videos. Even though it's a short class, you'll get your hands dirty creating a 3D model of whatever you can imagine for a handheld device. In this project, we will investigate the process of designing a functional object and then having it 3D printed by a third party. While the course does make passing mention of Adobe's pricey Photoshop and Illustrator, the free 3D design freeware Tinkercad is a great place to start. Having a 3D printer on hand is ideal.
Course Link: Skillshare.
Cost: $20/month Skillshare subscription
Discover the Freedom of Self-Paced 3D Printing Courses
It is no longer believed that students need to constantly rearrange their time, pace of learning, and interests to fit a particular course. The student has complete control over the amount of time they devote to learning and how they incorporate it into their schedule with self-paced learning.
There are benefits and drawbacks to self-paced learning, as there are to every learning style. You may determine if self-paced learning is appropriate for your learners and your needs by analyzing your learner personas, learning goals, and time and money limitations.
Enjoy powerful modeling, rendering, and 3D printing tools without the steep learning curve.
Need to learn 3D modeling? Get started with interactive tutorials.