The Classroom as a Makerspace: Use of Tablets and Cutting Plotter to Create Pop-Up Cards in Educational Environments

Abstract

In some classrooms the use of digital tablets for students is already standardized and is integrated into the teaching-learning process of the school. On the other hand, the use of cutting plotters is not common, although they are low-cost, easy to use and transportable devices. These machines are usually found in digital fab-rication spaces such as Makerspaces, Fab labs, etc. However, it is interesting to introduce these technologies in traditional classrooms. This article describes an experience carried out at Colegio San Isidro, Los Salesianos de la Orotava, Tene-rife in the 3rd year of secondary school in the subject of plastic, visual and audio-visual expression, in which an activity of design and creation of pop-up cards has been carried out. This activity is made in many subjects in order to develop crea-tivity or to understand three-dimensional concepts (mathematics, plastic, etc.). This activity involves cutting and folding paper that is usually done with scissors or cutter. It is proposed to digitalize this activity by means of digital tablets and portable cutting plotters. At the end of the activity, all the students were able to make their pop-up card using the proposed technologies and felt able to carry out the work autonomously.