DIGITAL FABRICATION AND EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION: THE POTENTIAL OF 3D PRINTERS AND LASER CUTTING MACHINES IN TRANSFORMING TEACHING PRACTICES

Abstract

The technological transformations of contemporary society have brought about significant changes in educational processes, demanding new ways of organizing pedagogical practices and knowledge construction. In this context, digital fabrication emerges as a possibility for educational innovation by integrating technologies such as 3D printers and laser cutting and engraving machines into teaching and learning processes. This article aims to analyze the potential of digital fabrication in education, discussing its contributions to the transformation of pedagogical practices. Methodologically, this is a qualitative research, of an exploratory and descriptive nature, developed through a bibliographic survey based on studies about digital fabrication, Maker Culture, constructionism, active methodologies and educational technologies. This study is based on authors such as Papert (1994), Blikstein (2013), Gershenfeld (2005), Dewey (1979), Freire (1996), Vygotsky (1998), and Moran (2018). The results show that digital fabrication favors investigative and collaborative pedagogical practices, stimulating creativity, autonomy, critical thinking, and problem-solving, while also highlighting the importance of the teacher as a mediator in the educational process.