December 10, 2014 – San Diego, Calif. – The eighth grade class from the Children’s School of La Jolla visited SolidProfessor today to experience computer-aided design (CAD) and 3D printing capabilities. SolidProfessor is a San Diego based company that specializes in online learning for software used in engineering and design.
Before their visit, the class had designed some prototypes using Tinkercad, a CAD software program. During their visit, the SolidProfessor team surprised them with 3D printed models of their designs that they had created with their MakerBot printer.
Jason Wright, the Director of Products and Services for SolidProfessor, walked the students through the process of creating complex designs such as the “Jaws of Life” used by fire departments and a 3D model of a Ferrari, among others. By breaking the 3D designs down into simple shapes and showing the functionalities of how they were put together, the intricate designs began the make sense to the eighth graders. “At first this design probably seemed intimidating but with education and practice you can create something as complex as these designs,” Wright told the students. Using SolidProfessor’s concise video tutorials, Wright showed the students how to create basic models and interact with them within the software.
The students were brought to SolidProfessor by the Children’s School of La Jolla’s Director of Technology Jesse Brand. Brand was excited to show the students where their introduction to CAD could take them. “Being in a creative and collaborative environment like SolidProfessor is a great example of where their passion for designing and building can lead to,” remarked Brand. “My goal is to introduce them to these different technologies and software programs so that if they do develop an interest they know how to pursue their passion.”
Brand’s vision for the technology program at the Children’s School is to create the space and opportunity to discover and explore technology and how the students can use technology to interact with the world. His goal is to “provide an environment where students can create anything they are passionate about – websites, 3D prototypes and models, software applications – the sky is the limit with these students.”
The only challenge that the Technology Director runs into is the broad spectrum of material to be taught. Brand, for example, teaches everything from email and presentation tools to introductory computer programming and CAD. Using a tool like SolidProfessor which provides end-to-end professional developed learning experiences for CAD software programs will solve this challenge. “Without bringing in an expert in engineering and design, with SolidProfessor we will be able to offer world-class CAD learning to our students without ever leaving the classroom,” said Brand.
SolidProfessor gifted over $20,000 of software to the Children’s School of La Jolla so that they will be able to continue their technology education in CAD. Wright is excited to see what the students will come up with using their new tools. “SolidProfessor can have a huge impact in developing the next generation of designers, engineers, architects, fabricators, and makers. I look forward to seeing how they are able to grow and expand their CAD abilities with these additional resources.”
About SolidProfessor
SolidProfessor specializes in creating highly technical content, specifically multimedia learning resources for software applications used in engineering and design. Over the past decade, SolidProfessor has pursued its passion for learning by developing thousands of hours of online multimedia resources for its members. To learn more, sign up for a free account or explore our website!
For Press Inquiries contact: Michelle Stansbury, mstansbury@solidprofessor.com
