Welcome to the XYZ Lesson Library
#1: Introducing the XYZ Lesson Library: A newsletter designed to help teachers and parents educate children in computer-aided design (CAD) and 3D printing
Hello readers,
Welcome to the XYZ Lesson Library!
I’m Julie, a biomedical engineer and the creator of this newsletter. Throughout my education and work experiences, I developed a love for computer-aided design (CAD) and 3D printing. From designing a variety of products and medical devices, to manufacturing, I have experienced many aspects of the design and production processes.
I am mostly self-taught in CAD, so I had to learn the hard way and challenge myself. This involved a lot of practicing and taking design opportunities very seriously, focusing on how I could get my desired level of detail and accuracy. I quickly grew my skills and proved myself to be a reliable designer and reference for professional engineers and students alike. Even though all of my hard work paid off, I can recall many instances when I thought, “I wish I had learned this sooner.”
Recently I was brainstorming ways to teach my skills to others in an accessible way. That’s when I discovered Substack and a flood of ideas rushed into my mind. I envision this newsletter to be a resource for teachers and parents to educate themselves, and then their students and children, in a way that will strengthen their mental visualization, planning, and creativity. These skills are at the foundation of my design process, and I believe they will allow us to make sense of the 3D world in a meaningful way.
I also think that my background as an engineer and creative makes me particularly capable of bringing in a variety of fields, allowing for the integration of CAD and 3D printing into more school subjects. If students can see how many opportunities there are to use this knowledge, it will expand their horizons.
In this Substack, I will send weekly emails containing one of the following:
Conceptual hands-on lessons
Will typically require paper, a pencil, and some kind of object to study
Lessons incorporating various career fields
Explanation of topic, its significance, and larger project prompt
Resources and tips for CAD and 3D Printing, such as:
Fusion 360 video tutorials and exercises
Maintaining and troubleshooting your 3D printer (if you have one, but it’s not necessary for my lessons)
Setting-up builds for 3D printers
FAQs
Posts with commonly asked questions and tips
Subscribers will have the opportunity to reply to my emails, or comment on posts, to ask me questions
I will also occasionally host discussion threads for conversations with me and other subscribers about a specific topic
The weekly variety is intended to lift educators and students up with different posts. I believe that if teachers and parents are directly sent the resources to their inbox, instead of having to seek them out, they will become less discouraged by the daunting nature of CAD and 3D printing. The resources I create will be well-rounded in terms of fields of study, so the material will help students grow in whatever they may be interested in.
My hope is to create a safe space to learn without judgement, and to serve as a point of reference for readers. I am really excited and confident about the community that I’m working to build with all of you. I know we can accomplish great things together by helping STEAM flourish in our students and children. If you would like to receive helpful content from the XYZ Learning Library, please subscribe by clicking the button below.
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I appreciate you so much for reading this inaugural post. It is the first of many, so I hope you stick around for the great resources to come. This coming week, in particular, will be packed with content to jumpstart your learning. Talk to you soon!
All the best,
Julie