Teaching the Future with SOLIDWORKS Apps for Kids Classroom

STEAM education is more important now than ever. The workforce of the future needs to be well versed in science, technology, engineering, art, and math, and introducing kids to concepts that will help them find future careers is critical. While children are proven to have an interest in STEAM topics at a young age, finding an engaging way to teach those topics in an educational setting can be difficult. Enter SOLIDWORKS Apps for Kids, an ecosystem of apps that makes the engineering process accessible to kids as young as four. To support educators, parents, makers, after-school activity organizers, and more, there is SOLIDWORKS Apps for Kids Classroom.

Apps for Kids Classroom is an interface that allows educators to organize self-contained classes and teach students the principles of design and engineering in a secure group setting. Designed with the needs of a modern school curriculum in mind, Classroom takes the incredible teaching potential of Apps for Kids and allows educators to fit it with their own needs.

SOLIDWORKS is committed to the safety and online privacy of children using Apps for Kids, and Classroom was designed to help educators protect their students and keep their classes and projects in a secure and private environment. Educators can easily set up and manage student accounts and share content directly with their students. Setting up Apps for Kids Classroom accounts is a great way to discuss online privacy and passwords with kids, helping them become better Internet denizens in an increasingly connected world. Educators then have the ability to manage their students’ accounts and invite other teachers in their organization to join their classes.

Educators can easily share content with students. A teacher can create a simple project in the Shape It app and have their students riff on the design. “Riff” is a term used in Apps for Kids that is based on the idea of “riffing” in jazz music. In Apps for Kids, “riff” means “copy and make your own version.” This gives kids space to be creative and discover the fun of design and engineering. Teachers can then take their students’ finished assignments and use the Print It app to 2D or 3D print designs. Students also have the ability to riff off of each other’s designs, bringing kids together and allowing them to collaborate with one another like adult designers and engineers do.

Having trouble making up a curriculum to fit with Apps for Kids Classroom? No need to worry: Classroom comes with fun and diverse lesson plans based on current, U.S.-focused curriculum standards. Lesson plans come with pre-made shapes in Shape It or Mech It that kids can manipulate and style, and each plan has real-world topics and discussion questions to help students immerse themselves in the assignment. With step-by-step instructions for how to lead a lesson, Classroom has all the tools necessary to set kids up for academic and future success.

In any learning environment, public school, private school, homeschool, or an after-school program, SOLIDWORKS Apps for Kids Classroom is a fun and interactive way to get kids excited about STEAM. By bringing together the core concepts of science, technology, engineering, art, and math, Classroom can set the foundation for a well-rounded curriculum, and start the workforce of the future on the road to success. Learn more and sign up to test SOLIDWORKS Apps for Kids Classroom here.