Cornell University

The Cornell University Library (CUL), in partnership with Cornell's College of Engineering, and the Museum of Science (MOS) in Boston will research and develop the use of stereolithographic ("3D printing") technology to create working physical replicas of mechanical artifacts that can be exchanged electronically between the project partners and manipulated by museum visitors, students, and other users of the collection. The project will integrate an important set of mechanical models from the MOS holdings and create an adaptable program of educational activities and materials to enhance access to the MOS and CUL materials for the general museum public, middle school students, teachers, and university communities. Results will be incorporated into the development of learning standards. The proposed project investigates these questions: What are the effects on learning of the integration of digital and physical experiences provided by historical mechanical artifacts, 3D printed machines, and computer simulation? What different types of learning experiences do users have using printable machines in the museum and classroom settings? Are different types of learning better suited to one or the other of the two distinct contexts? What terminology, descriptive protocols, and asset management practices will enable original artifacts, digital representations, and printable machines to be accurately and appropriately found, accessed, and utilized by users within a library environment?