1

Autodesk Digital STEAM W rkshop k Wo

You Dont Have to Be an Expert to Teach Software!

You dont need to be an expert to teach students Autodesk software. This document covers how to teach Autodesk software to your classes when you are not an expert. I am not talking about being one day ahead of the class and sweating bullets as you wait for the question that is going to expose your lack of software knowledge. I am talking about establishing yourself as a guide on the side, where you are leading your students through resources and learning content designed to foster discovery, creativity, and innovation. In this model, teachers navigate students through the learning process, reinforce conceptual concepts, and provide students with individual guidance, helping them take responsibility for their learning. Yes, software can be complicated and even experts have to look things up occasionally, but students learn fast and have more time than most teachers. Let students focus on learning the picks and clicks of the software. Your job as a teacher is to get students excited about the possibilities of the software and involve them in great projects as they learn about science, technology, engineering, arts, and math using the software. Its not your job to be a technical expert with the software. So, how is it possible to teach software without being an expert? We created the following step-bystep guide to answer this commonly asked question and to help teachers become a Guide on the Side, using the Autodesk Digital STEAM Workshop without being an Autodesk software expert.

Autodesk Digital STEAM W rkshop k Wo

Teacher Preparation
Step 1: Go www.autodesk.com/digitalsteam.
1. Select the Home section and then Start Here on the navigation panel. Watch the Start Here Autodesk Digital STEAM Overview videos. These videos provide an excellent guided tour of the curriculum and give recommendations on how to use the content.

2. Download and read The Design Thinking Guide located on the top right of the Start Here page. This guide outlines a new approach to thinking and design innovation that will help your students get beyond the blank-page syndrome and obvious solutions.

3. Select the Software listed under the Home section of the navigation panel. Then go to the product page for the software you are going to teach; look at the showcase from

Autodesk Digital STEAM W rkshop k Wo

industry clients and read about the software. Download the Autodesk software you are interested in.

Step 2: Go to the Level 1 section on the navigation panel.

1. Watch the video What is 3D? and see the possibilities of Autodesk software. Listen to a few of the Industry & Careers videos and hear about design careers and what motivated these professionals to enter careers in design. Review the Skills document for the software you will be teaching. The Skills documents outline the core software skills that you will be teaching. Review the Digital Study Packet videos. These procedural videos walk you through the basic software skills.

2.

3. 4.

5. 6. 7.

Take the Test your Skills quiz to determine where you stand. Go to Design Tools and review the Visual Design application and lesson plan. Visual Design is key to good design, and these resources offer a fun and interactive short project. Review the Sustainability videos so that you can start a conversation on sustainability with the class in relationship to the project that you will begin with.

Autodesk Digital STEAM W rkshop k Wo

8.

Open the Autodesk software that you are going to teach and begin to: Familiarize yourself with the basic parts of the software, making sure that you learn the correct names of tools and features. Know where the Help menu is and how to find things quickly. Review the Digital Study Packet videos in Level 1. Search the Internet for web forums and resources that offer support resources.

Step 3: Level 2 Choose a Project.

Before you decide on the first project to introduce in your class, go to the Level 2 section of the curriculum, where you can sort the projects by Software, Subject, Difficulty, and Time. Take a look at a variety of the projects and get a feel for how the curriculum presents ideas. 1. Choose a project for your class: Read the project narrative. Meet the designer. Read the designer bio, go to their website, and think of them as being a guest in your classpresent the project this way and have the class watch and discuss the videos together.

Autodesk Digital STEAM W rkshop k Wo

Click the Project Packet page link found on the center of the Page. Use the Interactive 3D viewer to see the project example. You will need to download the Unity web player.

IMPORTANT NOTE: We encourage you to go through the Design Thinking Process and have students create their own version of the project and not follow a step-bystep duplication of the existing example. We realize this can make class management and grading a bit more difficult, but students learn more, gain more confidence, and take proud ownership when its their own design.
2. Download all the files from the top color bar on the Project Packet page: These vary depending on the software. There will always be a project software file, a dataset, or 3D file; most have visual assets, PDFs, an asset list, and other resources.

Autodesk Digital STEAM W rkshop k Wo

3. Now that you have all the Project Packet resources: Open the project files in the software and explore the project. Watch the Learning Videos. Look at all of the assets from the Project Asset List. Watch the prerequisite videos from the Digital Study Packet found in Level 1 again to become more familiar with the specific techniques used in this project. Become comfortable working with the software.

Step 4: Teacher Resources

1. Download the Teacher Resources from either the Project Packet Page or the main menu by selecting Teacher Resources > Lesson Plans. You will be required to login to the Autodesk Education Community to access the complete set of teacher resources. Lesson plans can also be viewed online.

2. Customize your lesson plan using the lesson plan content provided in Teacher Resources. Further define your discussion points, extension ideas, and STEAM connections to foster strong connections to core subjects. Make sure to use the additional resources available to support your lesson plan and measure assessment outcomes: Project Brief Pre- and Post-Tests Design Criteria Worksheet Rubric Project Asset List Academic Standards

Autodesk Digital STEAM W rkshop k Wo

In-Class Teacher Outline

The following steps will take place over a series of classes depending on what project you choose. Here is a script to help guide you in teaching a curriculum project. Step In Class Activity Use Level 1 to familiarize your students with the world of 3D: Watch: Use the video What is 3D? and the interviews on the Industry & Careers page. Interact: Go through the Visual Design application. Notes for Teachers Watch, Interact, and Experience. Allow opportunities for class discussion. Open the software that you are going to use and review the interface. This should be a very high level overview ONLY. In addition, introduce the Skills document and show the students the Digital Study Packets.

Experience: Show students some of the projects *Make this a brief overview only. in Level 2 and have them listen to the designers talk about their design process. Open the class by introducing the Autodesk software that you are going to use. Review the interface using the Skills as a guide. Start by giving your students a broad, high-level overview of the tool, and show them how to use the Digital Study Packets.

Start a project! Read the narrative. Meet the designer. Read the designer bio; go to their website, and think of them as a guest in your classroom. You will want to present the project this way and have the class watch and discuss the videos together. WATCH the seven Design Thinking Videos. Go to the Project Packet page. Use the Interactive 3D viewer to see the project example.

You are now ready to start a project. Explore the project with your class the same way that you explored the example project in your prep work. Have a class discussion about the designer, their career, the project, and even each video. Have the students use the project viewer.

Autodesk Digital STEAM W rkshop k Wo

Step

In Class Activity Understand: Watch and Listen Review the project design brief. Watch the Understand video. Distribute the student pre-test and have students spend ten to twenty minutes developing their responses to the questions. Facilitate a student discussion built around the pre-test questions.

Notes for Teachers Now you are ready to have students begin to design their own project based on the project brief and what they just viewed. Make sure that they have resources for notes and sketches.

Explore: Develop a Knowledge Base Form teams in which students can discuss the essential project conceptual and design questions. Students develop a game plan for filling in knowledge gaps, such as brief online research and more formal research practices. Conduct a thorough analysis of information related to their specific project.

Note: It is critical that during this process students keep track of their findings in a notebook or journal. In some instances, digital photography and videotaping can serve as excellent media for capturing important insights.

Define: Clarify Requirements This critical stage in the design process involves establishing the criteria for the project.

Note: Make sure students are thinking about the software in this phase as they define their designs.

Ideate: Creativity This is the time for students to come up with as many ideas as possible using the following creative techniques: o o o 2D sketches on paper Quick-form studies or sketch models Virtual models using Autodesk software

Note: The goal is to get students to visually communicate to themselves and others. This can be the first exploratory phase in using the software, making basic shapes and feeling out what they might do. Walk around the class and keep them inspired and engaged.

Remind students that it is good practice to keep some of the design criteria in the back of their minds as they explore ideas.

Autodesk Digital STEAM W rkshop k Wo

Step

In Class Activity Prototype: Test Students use key concepts derived from the Ideate phase to create physical models and virtual prototypes with the software. Students can watch the technical learning videos, explore the datasets from the example project, and refer back to the Digital Study Packets as they learn the skills that transform their concepts into reality.

Notes for Teachers Note: Students will get confused. You do not need to be the software expert. Learn to say, Well, I am not sure what is going on here, but lets work together and look this up. Look in the Digital Study Packets first. Then approach the Help menu. Check other online resources as a last resort. Walk around the classroom and make sure that students stay on track with their designs. Help them research and solve problems. Encourage students to assist each other in learning the software. Dont be afraid to let a student demonstrate something that they may have figured out.

Refine: Almost There Students leverage the power of the software to refine aspects of the design. Remind them to keep referring back to the basic criteria that they previously established.

Use the notes from the prior phase here also.

Solution: Final Presentation Critique final designs with the class.

Presentations will vary depending on the project and type of class. Involve the class in active dialog during the critique. It is an opportunity to learn more about the software, and it is a good workflow that students can share in.

You are ready for success! Please share your teaching experience with us by emailing digitalsteam@ autodesk.com. We would love to highlight your achievements and share your experience and tips with our educator community.