2. Digital fabrication in education

This week I worked on getting used to this documentation process.

The Design Process: Concept: I start by brainstorming ideas that capture the core values of the maker mindset—creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration. Just like in my classroom, this phase requires thinking critically about what message or theme I want to convey. In this case, I decide that the term “practice makes perfect” or that “failure is part of the process.”

Sketching and Iteration: After coming up with a few ideas, I sketch out rough designs and refine the ideas until I find one that truly represents my classroom and philosophy.

Digital Design: Next, I transfer the sketch into digital software (Inkscape) to create a precise vector file. This part mirrors what I teach students when they use CAD software to model their 3D prints or designs for laser cutting. It reinforces the technical skills required to take an idea and make it machine-ready.

Cutting the Design: Once the design is finalized, I use a cutting machine or laser cutter to bring it to life. This step relates directly to the hands-on technology work we do in the classroom. Whether it’s a 3D printer or a laser cutter, the students also learn to convert their digital designs into tangible products.

Application: After cutting, the final step is applying the sticker or heat transfer to a surface. In the same way, students learn to finalize their projects by assembling, testing, and iterating on their creations.

How It Relates to My Teaching

This design process closely relates to what I teach in the classroom: ideate, prototyping, testing, and refining. Whether students are building robots or designing 3D models, the steps involve thoughtful planning, using digital tools, and hands-on construction—just like creating a sticker. It demonstrates that with the right tools and approach, they can turn their ideas into reality.

How This Project Inspires Me

This project inspires me because it demonstrates the impact of bringing ideas to life and the satisfaction of seeing them take shape. It captures the joy of creating—something I aim to instill in my students. The design I produce reflects the collaborative and resourceful mindset I cultivate in the classroom, serving as a reminder that the principles of making can be applied to anything, from artistic projects to solving real-world problems. It’s exciting to see how a simple idea can develop into a tangible product, just like watching my students’ concepts transform into working designs.

Educational Activity Using A Vinyl Cutter

Overview: Have students custom design custom t-shirts using vinyl and a vinyl cutter. This activity will teach them about digital design, material handling, and the process of creating wearable art.

Example links

• Mkdocs Material theme
• Markdown
• GitLab Markdown

Code Example

Use the three backticks to separate code.

// the setup function runs once when you press reset or power the board
void setup() {
  // initialize digital pin LED_BUILTIN as an output.
  pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);
}

// the loop function runs over and over again forever
void loop() {
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);   // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
  delay(1000);                       // wait for a second
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);    // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
  delay(1000);                       // wait for a second
}

Gallery

** OR ** using HTML

Example image with caption

Example video

From Vimeo

Sound Waves from George Gally (Radarboy) on Vimeo.

From Youtube

Example Table

Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
Text	Text	Text

You may also embed HTML in your markdown files