Proposal for the Incorporation of 3D Modeling and Printing for the Teaching of Civil Engineering at the University of Costa Rica

Abstract

The student body of the new generation has a shorter attention span and a preference for technology. The objective of the research was to elaborate a proposal for the implementation of 3D modeling and printing in the Civil Engineering career of the University of Costa Rica (UCR), based on the use of non-industrial printers, to improve the retention of concepts and three-dimensional understanding. The methodology consisted of a research phase with a qualitative approach to the courses of the civil engineering curriculum, the objectives, and didactic activities. The state of the art in 3D modeling and printing was reviewed, especially regarding its use for educational purposes, and interviews were conducted with related professionals. Subsequently, key concepts were defined in different courses of the Civil Engineering plan, whose teaching could be improved by using 3D modeling and printing. In this way, the courses of the plan were categorized according to their implementation capacity. The proposal exposes a way to apply technology to engineering courses and complement this implementation with transversal activities not linked to the courses, which promote interaction, union, and participation between people from different levels of the career. The proposal was validated with a group of related professionals and advanced-level students of the degree through a questionnaire and validation session, which produced improvements that were incorporated into the final proposal. The implementation is conceptualized in three stages: the first is a process of awareness, motivation and training; the second includes the implementation of the technology on a small scale in classrooms, laboratories and projects, and, in the third phase, the technology begins to be used on a large-scale using materials regularly used in construction. It is concluded that it is feasible and it is recommended to incorporate 3D modeling and printing in the Civil Engineering curriculum through the use of the study plan courses most related to said technology and apply the designed proposal.