333 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
333 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
+++
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title = "einszwovier: Kicker Glow-Up"
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date = 2025-07-12
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authors = ["Aron Petau", "Friedrich Weber Goizel"]
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description = "A 3-day workshop where 7th graders design and 3D print custom foosball figurines for their school's outdoor tables"
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draft = false
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[taxonomies]
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tags = [
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"making",
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"education",
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"democratic",
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"workshop",
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"3d printing",
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"3d scanning",
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"tinkercad",
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"einszwovier",
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"media education",
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]
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[extra]
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banner = "eins zwo vier logo.png"
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featured = true
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+++
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## Course Profile
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| | |
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|---|---|
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| **Course Title** | Kicker Glow-Up: Custom Foosball Figurines |
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| **Duration** | 3 days (3 × 120 min or 3 × 180 min) |
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| **Target Group** | 7th grade students (ages 12-13) |
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| **Group Size** | 10-12 students |
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| **Location** | School makerspace / workshop environment |
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| **Equipment** | iPads (provided by GvB), 3D printers, painting supplies |
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### Skills Trained
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- **Digital Literacy:** 3D scanning with Polycam/Scaniverse, CAD design in TinkerCAD, slicing
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software (PrusaSlicer)
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- **Design Thinking:** Iterative prototyping, problem-solving, technical constraints (scale,
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printability, mounting)
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- **Making Skills:** 3D printing fundamentals, post-processing, painting and finishing techniques
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- **Collaborative Learning:** Peer support, shared troubleshooting, collective maintenance
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- **Spatial Appropriation:** Critical reflection on representation in public play spaces, claiming
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ownership through making
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## Reimagining Foosball Figurines
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The **Kicker Glow-Up** is now in its second iteration—a hands-on 3-day workshop designed for
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7th graders to create their own custom table foosball figurines for the school's outdoor tables.
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This project combines digital fabrication, 3D modeling, and creativity to give students ownership
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over their play equipment. The entire workflow runs on iPads provided by the GVB (Gemeinnützige
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Gesellschaft für berufsbildende Maßnahmen), making digital fabrication accessible without
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requiring extensive computer infrastructure.
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### How It Started
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The idea for this workshop emerged from a casual conversation with a female student who
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off-handedly complained that foosball figurines are always male-coded. That observation stopped
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us in our tracks. She was absolutely right—standard foosball figures implicitly exclude and
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subtly reinforce who "belongs" in play spaces.
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We realized that individualizing the figurines wasn't just a fun making project—it was a
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perfectly educational way for students to appropriate their own playgrounds. By creating their
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own representations, students claim ownership over public play equipment and reshape the implicit
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messages about who these spaces are for.
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## Workshop Overview
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Over three intensive days, students learn the complete digital fabrication pipeline: from
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capturing 3D scans of themselves or objects, modeling and adapting designs in CAD software,
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preparing files for 3D printing, to finally manufacturing and finishing their custom figurines.
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The workshop empowers students to:
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- **Digitize the physical world** using 3D scanning tools
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- **Design in 3D** with accessible CAD software
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- **Understand manufacturing** through hands-on 3D printing
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- **Personalize their environment** by creating functional art for their school
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## The Workflow
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{% mermaid() %}
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flowchart TB
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subgraph day1["Day 1: Model Acquisition"]
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Start[Start Workshop] --> Polycam[Scan with Polycam]
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Start --> Scaniverse[Scan with Scaniverse]
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Start --> Online[Download from Thingiverse/Online]
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Start --> Scratch[Build from Scratch]
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end
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subgraph day2["Day 2: Design & Preparation"]
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Design[Design in TinkerCAD]
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Nomad[Optional: Refine in Nomad Sculpt]
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Slice[Prepare in PrusaSlicer]
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end
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subgraph day3["Day 3: Manufacturing & Installation"]
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Print[3D Print Figurine]
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Paint[Paint & Finish]
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Install[Install on Table]
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Play[Play Foosball!]
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end
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Polycam -->|"export model"| Design
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Scaniverse -->|"export model"| Design
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Online -->|"import to TinkerCAD"| Design
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Scratch -->|"create in TinkerCAD"| Design
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Design -->|"if needed"| Nomad
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Design -->|"ready to print"| Slice
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Nomad -->|"final model"| Slice
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Slice --> Print
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Print --> Paint
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Paint --> Install
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Install --> Play
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style Start fill:#006994
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style Start color:#ffffff
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style Polycam fill:#006994
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style Polycam color:#ffffff
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style Scaniverse fill:#006994
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style Scaniverse color:#ffffff
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style Online fill:#006994
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style Online color:#ffffff
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style Scratch fill:#006994
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style Scratch color:#ffffff
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style Design fill:#ff1493
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style Design color:#ffffff
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style Nomad fill:#ff1493
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style Nomad color:#ffffff
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style Slice fill:#ff1493
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style Slice color:#ffffff
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style Print fill:#ffd700
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style Print color:#000000
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style Paint fill:#ffd700
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style Paint color:#000000
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style Install fill:#ffd700
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style Install color:#000000
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style Play fill:#ffd700
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style Play color:#000000
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{% end %}
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## Workshop Structure
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The workshop spans three days with flexible timing—either 3 × 120 minutes or 3 × 180 minutes,
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depending on the school's schedule. Each day builds upon the previous, moving from exploration
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to creation to celebration.
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### Day 1: Introduction & Exploration (120-180 min)
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The first day establishes the foundation and sparks curiosity:
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**Space & Machines** (30-45 min)
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- Room introduction to the makerspace or workshop environment
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- Machine introductions: What is a 3D printer? How does it work?
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- Exploration of makerspace possibilities beyond 3D printing (laser cutting, electronics, etc.)
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- Safety guidelines and responsible making
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**Software Introduction** (30-45 min)
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- Basic introduction to TinkerCAD on iPads
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- Interface navigation and essential tools
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- Understanding 3D space and manipulation
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- Demonstration of scan-to-model workflow
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**Hands-on Exploration** (60-90 min)
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- Students experiment freely in TinkerCAD
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- Individual support and guidance as needed
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- First attempts at 3D scanning with Polycam or Scaniverse
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- Students begin conceptualizing their figurine designs
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The key here is balance—enough structure to feel confident, enough freedom to foster creativity.
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### Day 2: Design & Production (120-180 min)
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Day two is when magic happens—fully student-driven design and manufacturing:
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**Full Design Phase** (90-120 min)
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- Students work independently on their figurine models
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- Integrating scans or building from scratch in TinkerCAD
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- We assist only when asked—ownership is with the students
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- Problem-solving and iteration become natural parts of the process
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- Ensuring models meet technical requirements (mounting, scale, printability)
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**Slicing & Printing** (30-60 min)
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- Students prepare their models in PrusaSlicer
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- Learning about supports, orientation, and print settings
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- Starting prints for models that are ready
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- Understanding print time vs. complexity trade-offs
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#### Overnight Printing
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- Models requiring more design time get finished and queued for overnight printing
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- Ensures all students have completed pieces by Day 3
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By putting students in the driver's seat, they encounter real challenges and develop genuine
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solutions—far more valuable than following instructions.
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### Day 3: Finishing & Installation (120-180 min)
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The final day transforms digital creations into physical play equipment:
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**Post-Processing** (45-60 min)
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- Removing supports from printed figurines
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- Sanding and surface preparation
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- Quality check and minor repairs if needed
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**Painting & Decoration** (45-60 min)
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- Students personalize their figurines with paint
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- Protective coatings and finishing touches
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- Curing time while preparing for installation
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**Table Preparation & Installation** (30-60 min)
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- Collective table maintenance—cleaning, repairing, and oiling the foosball table
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- Often surprisingly exciting for students to see behind-the-scenes care
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- Installing the custom figurines on the rods
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- Testing functionality and making adjustments
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**Celebration Match** (15-30 min)
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- Quick game of foosball with the new custom figurines
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- Students experience their creations in action
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- Reflection on the creative and technical journey
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The physical installation and table maintenance ritual connects digital making to material care,
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showing students that creating includes maintaining.
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## Tools & Technologies
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### Model Acquisition
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Students have multiple pathways to obtain their 3D models:
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**3D Scanning:**
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- **[Polycam](https://poly.cam/)** - User-friendly photogrammetry app for mobile devices
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- **[Scaniverse](https://scaniverse.com/)** - LiDAR-based scanning app by Niantic for supported
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devices
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**Online Resources:**
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- **[Thingiverse](https://www.thingiverse.com/)** - Large community library of 3D printable
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models
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- **[Printables](https://www.printables.com/)** - Curated collection of quality 3D models
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- **[MyMiniFactory](https://www.myminifactory.com/)** - Community-driven 3D object repository
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**From Scratch:**
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- Students can build entirely original designs directly in TinkerCAD
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Both scanning and downloading give students a starting point to modify, while building from
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scratch offers complete creative freedom. The important part is that every student personalizes
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their model, regardless of where it originated.
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### 3D Modeling
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- **[TinkerCAD](https://www.tinkercad.com/)** - Browser-based, intuitive CAD software perfect for
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beginners. Students adapt their scans, add features, and ensure proper dimensions for the
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foosball table rods.
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- **[Nomad Sculpt](https://nomadsculpt.com/)** (optional) - For students wanting to refine organic
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shapes and add sculptural details to their models.
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### Manufacturing
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- **[PrusaSlicer](https://www.prusa3d.com/page/prusaslicer_424/)** - Students learn to slice their
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models, configure print settings, and understand the relationship between design and
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manufacturability.
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- **3D Printing** - Hands-on experience with FDM printers, learning about support structures,
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layer orientation, and print quality.
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- **Painting & Finishing** - Adding personal flair with paints and protective coatings.
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## Pedagogical Approach
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This workshop follows the **einszwovier** philosophy of democratic and participatory making:
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1. **Student Ownership** - Each student creates their own unique figurine, making personal
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decisions throughout the process
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2. **Iterative Learning** - Mistakes become learning opportunities; failed prints lead to better
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understanding
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3. **Skill Scaffolding** - Starting with scanning (capturing reality), progressing to modeling
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(modifying reality), and finally manufacturing (materializing ideas)
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4. **Functional Outcome** - The figurines aren't just art projects—they become part of the
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school's play infrastructure
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## Second Iteration Improvements
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In the second run of this workshop, we refined:
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- **Better time management** - Clearer daily goals and streamlined scanning processes
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- **Template models** - Starter TinkerCAD projects to help students understand scale and mounting
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requirements
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- **Printing coordination** - Optimized print queues to ensure all students see their prints
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complete during the workshop
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- **Documentation** - Students photograph their process and reflect on design decisions
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## Impact
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The Kicker Glow-Up transforms abstract digital fabrication concepts into tangible, playful
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outcomes. Students see their school's outdoor foosball tables populated with their creations,
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fostering a sense of agency and connection to their learning environment. The project demonstrates
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that 3D printing isn't just about making things—it's about empowering young people to reshape
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their world.
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---
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## Gallery
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{% gallery() %}
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[
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{
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"file": "tinkercad.jpeg",
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"title": "Digital design of custom foosball figurines in TinkerCAD",
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"alt": "Screenshot showing colorful 3D models of foosball figurines designed in TinkerCAD with the foosball rod"
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},
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{
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"file": "fitting.jpeg",
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"title": "Test fitting the figurine on the foosball rod",
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"alt": "Student testing a 3D printed figurine on a foosball table rod"
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}
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]
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{% end %}
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