Bookstore super-chain Barnes & Noble has announced the start of their Mini Maker Faire, taking place in stores nationwide from November 6th through the 8th, and one major 3D printing company is getting involved with the event. XYZprinting has partnered with Barnes & Noble stores to show the numerous ways that 3D printing technology can be utilized in our classrooms, workshops, and every day lives. XYZprinting suggests that it is making education a big focus for both the Mini Maker Faire and their overall company focus.
In fact, XYZprinting’s very own CEO, Simon Shen, will be joining an interactive expert panel at the Mini Maker Faire event at the Union Square Barnes & Noble, located in New York City, and taking place on November 8th at 1PM. Shen and the rest of the panel will be speaking on the topic ‘Tech Literacy, Creativity and Education Panel’, which, if I could guess by the title, will likely be focused on ways to implement new technologies like 3D printing into the education system.
Outside of the Mini Maker Faire, XYZprinting is also investing their resources into a new XYZ STEAM program, which features an online curriculum geared towards 3D printing technology education. The curriculum will give instructors and students access to enjoyable and educational 3D printing projects, such as a solar-powered car or model rocket. The platform will offer discounts on XYZprinting printers engineered to be used reliably within the classroom. XYZ STEAM will also provide tools and show students all of the practical ways that 3D printing is being used by today’s society.
XYZprinting has developed a Classroom Starter Bundle (Kindergarten to 8th grade) and Advanced Classroom Bundle (9th to 12th grade), which provide a discounted groupings of their da Vinci 3D printers, handheld 3D scanners, and other necessary components, such as filament. There are also options for higher education as well; the XYZ 3D Lab Bundle offers pairs of four different printers (including two of their Nobel 1.0 SL Laser 3D printers), 3D scanners, and the materials for college courses involving the fields of architecture, medicine, jewelry, and so on.
The partnership with Barnes & Noble and creation of XYZ STEAM seems to be a statement by XYZprinting that their 3D printers can be just as or even more valuable in a classroom than anywhere else. It remains to be seen whether they can succeed in infiltrating the educational system with their popular 3D printing devices, but the involvement with the Mini Maker Faire and creation of XYZ STEAM shows that XYZprinting is going full speed ahead towards the classroom… and a Barnes & Noble near you.
