In this master's thesis, we analyse the state of the implementation of 3D printing in Slovenian primary schools. First, we describe the field of 3D printing, which is still relatively young, starting in 1983 when the first 3D model was printed. A short overview of the development of 3D printers covers the start in 1983 and illustrates the rapid development of the field, especially with the expiry of the patent for a low-cost implementation of 3D printing technology in 2009. We take a closer look at the three basic 3D printing technologies that are best suited for educational applications and are most widely used: thermoplastic extrusion, stereolithography and selective laser sintering. As 3D printers are increasingly used in everyday life, they have also found their way into primary education. In this thesis, we present the integration of 3D printing into education in several foreign countries and in Slovenia. The extent to which 3D printing is integrated into the curriculum varies from country to country, with different links to the curriculum, but the focus is on integration into the current design and technology curriculum and its expected reform. In this paper, we present the results of a descriptive quantitative empirical study aimed at identifying the challenges of introducing 3D printing into the Slovenian primary school curriculum. 161 teachers teaching design and technology in Slovenia responded to a questionnaire. Of the respondents, just under half of the teachers have a 3D printer in their school and have been using it for an average of 2.6 years. The main reasons given for not having a 3D printer in their schools are financial reasons and lack of knowledge about the use and selection of a 3D printer. On average, teachers use a 3D printer 6.9 times during the school year in or for the purpose subject of design and technology and 10.8 times in or for the purpose other subjects. The main reasons for less or no use of 3D printers are the slowness of 3D printing and the lack of knowledge about how to operate a 3D printer and 3D modelling. When using a 3D printer, teachers are most often faced with the problems of slow 3D printing, filament drips and stringing, poor adhesion of the material to the substrate and poor surface quality of the object after 3D printing. For the seven most common problems, we propose concrete 3D models to help teachers recognise and solve the problems and use 3D models in the classroom. For the most common problem (slowness of 3D printing), which more than half of the teachers face often or very often, we tested 3D printing with default and improved slicer settings. By following the suggestions presented, we were able to more than halve the 3D printing time without significantly affecting the appearance of the printed 3D model. We also present our own multifunctional model for determining 3D printing problems, which is useful for the subject design and technology. Slovenian design and technology teachers are not yet advanced users of 3D technology, but they are on their way with recognised trend towards increased use of 3D printing in the classroom. Teachers emphasised the need and wish for training on 3D printing and 3D modelling, which, along with equipping schools, would help to increase the use of this technology. The longer and more frequently teachers use 3D printers, the higher they rate their ability to solve problems that arise with 3D printing.
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