A University of Nottingham-led project aims to bring 3D printing into hospital education in England, giving children and young people in specialist schools or long hospital stays practical access to STEM learning.
The three-year project has been awarded funding from a Royal Society Science Community Grant and the Julia Rausing Trust. It is being run with the National Association for Hospital Education (NAHE), with engineers and scientists from universities across the country supporting the training of school staff.
Printers and training for 25 schools
An initial 25 schools will each receive a 3D printer and take part in a national training programme led by the University of Nottingham, with support from local partner universities. The programme will run across a term through coordinated sessions focused on user-centred design and end with a showcase event.
Students will be invited to begin by looking at their surroundings and identifying product designs that could work better for them. The aim is to combine design thinking with hands-on making, so that participants can develop skills while producing tangible objects.
Addressing a gap in practical STEM
Professor Ruth Goodridge of the University of Nottingham, who is leading the project, said children and young people who spend long periods in hospital or attend specialist schools because of complex health needs often miss out on enriching, hands-on STEM experiences that their peers take for granted. She said the project would help address that gap by offering 3D design and printing activities intended to broaden horizons, build confidence and develop useful skills.
Goodridge also noted that hospital school staff report that illness can make a child’s world feel very small, with disrupted education, anxiety and low confidence affecting engagement with learning. In that context, 3D printing offers an accessible and rewarding way for students to solve problems and create something tangible, she said, providing a sense of achievement when many aspects of their lives may feel beyond their control.
Science education and rehabilitation links
Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society, said schools are where most people first encounter science. Practical science helps students experience the scientific process, evaluate evidence, understand uncertainty and appreciate how science helps explain and improve the world, he said. He added that embedding more practical science in schools is an important step in building future scientists and innovators and equipping people with the scientific literacy needed to be successful citizens.
The NIHR HealthTech Research Centre for Rehabilitation, led by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, is partnering with the project. It will explore how 3D printing technologies could contribute to children’s rehabilitation and recovery following serious illness or injury.
Stephen Deadman of NAHE said the project would provide vital skills for children who cannot access traditional school, giving them hands-on experience with specialist equipment. He said it would also bring additional benefits through working together within and between schools, creating a sense of community and shared achievement.