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There are so many cross-curricular connections that are possible with OpenSCAD, especially relating to geometry and trigonometry.Ĭhoosing a CAD program for your students doesn’t have to be tricky.The cheat sheet feature provides lots of shortcuts to make coding simple and easy.The connection between coding and 3D design is very appealing to me as someone who teaches coding and computational thinking.It also means you can change the parameters and variables at any time. The ability to use code to interact with shapes lends precision to your design. After watching some tutorials and exploring the interface, I’ve changed my mind. My first impression of OpenSCAD was that it has too large of a learning curve and is too clunky for widespread use.
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OpenSCAD is open source and is free to download. It uses script code (similar to JavaScript) to manipulate figures rather than a graphical interface. OpenSCAD is a completely different kind of 3D modeling program. The push/pull feature makes additive and subtractive processes easy to see and understand.īest for: All ages, but particularly for grades 6-12.Users can type in specific dimensions for lines and shapes, eliminating the need to resize and drag handles.SketchUp provides a variety of shortcuts, making it easy to draw lines and points that snap into place when reaching the midpoint of shapes. The learning curve is much steeper than for Tinkercad, but the tools are also more powerful. Like Tinkercad, SketchUp is browser-based, so students can access it easily from any device. SketchUp is a 3D modeling program that excels in usability and flexibility. Tinkercad Classroom provides teachers with an easy way to share designs, assess learning, and provide immediate feedback.īest for: All ages, but particularly great for grades K-8.
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