Empowering Girls in STEM with 3D Printing 

The introduction of a 3D printer is igniting interest among students in Barbreck. This cutting-edge technology provides our students with the opportunity to design, prototype, and create tangible objects during STEM lessons.  

An initiative driven by Barbreck’s STEM specialist teacher, Mr Thomas Lewis, the 3D printer provides a further area of innovative STEM-based learning for all our girls in Barbreck, from Prep to Year 6.  

By bringing concepts from the classroom to life, 3D printing enhances the learning of all our students as they can visually see the mechanics of how this innovative technology works, from the initial planning phase to the final product.  

For girls, this hands-on approach fosters creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills, all essential for STEM-based careers. The alignment of the 3D printing technology and the STEM curriculum assists the girls in building technical skills and inspiring them to be the next generation of female scientists, engineers, and innovators. 

When asking some of the students how they have enjoyed engaging with and using this technology, the girls commented: 

• “I like that I can use my creativity to build anything I want.” 
• “You can bring your imagination to life.” 
• “Watching the printing process is so fascinating.” 
• “After putting my designs together, I like that I end up with an actual object.”