The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) donated four 3D printers to some tertiary institutions in Lagos State to improve students’ learning process.
The beneficiaries were the University of Lagos, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos State University, and Lagos State Polytechnic.
At the official presentation on Wednesday, May 27, Mrs. Toki Mabogunje, President, LCCI, said the 3D printers would also boost the teaching capabilities of the teachers.
3D printing, also referred to as additive manufacturing, is a process where an object is formed layer by layer from computer 3D model data, resulting in a three-dimensional solid object.
Thus, Mabogunje emphasized the numerous benefits offered by 3D printing to the educational sector which necessitated the presentation to the respective institutions.
She urged the leadership of the benefitting institutions to ensure that the 3D printers were made available to the students for in-depth practice and understanding of its functions. According to her, doing this would bring out the best in the students, simplify learning processes and make them innovative.
Acknowledging that 3D printing technology, over the years had been deployed for mass customization and production of open-source designs in various fields such as agriculture, education, health, automotive industry, locomotive industry, and aviation.
“The growth of 3D printing in Nigeria is expected to impact not only on manufacturing but also on the education sector. This technology brings to light a set of skills lacking in the Nigerian industrial setting and the opportunity for new teaching practices in science and engineering programs within our tertiary institutions,” she said.
Mabogunje said the emergence of 3D printing technology had the potential to transform businesses, geographical challenges, and entire supply chains.
“Awareness has been created on the value of 3D technology at this critical stage of the Nigerian economy and the roles it can play in all sectors of the economy. In the educational sector, 3D printing offers numerous benefits.
These benefits include improving the students learning process as well as improving the teaching capabilities of the teacher. Hence the need to deploy 3D printing,’’ she said.
In his remarks, Otunba Akinbowale Akin-Olugbade, the Managing Director, Kawai Technologies Ltd., said 3D printing technology was critical to influencing and advancing manufacturing and producing, globally.
Also, he revealed that the nation’s current abstract learning culture, if left unaddressed, may lead to intellectual or practical boredom, subsequently resulting in a lack of student engagement.
“Research shows that a boring learning environment has a more powerful thinning effect on the brain cortex than what an exciting or engaging environment does. One way to increase learning engagement is by introducing 3D printers into a classroom with which students can follow a project-based learning approach.”
“This would lead to enhancing creativity, enhanced problem-solving skills, new learning opportunities, and greater students’ engagements. With 3D, you can think about almost anything, design it, print it, and test it and this would allow students to use their imaginations and problem-solving skills to create solutions,’’ said Akin-Olugbade.
In agreement with this, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, represented by Prof. Grace Otinwo, Director, Quality Assurance and SERVICOM, Unilag, expressed her delight at being of one the beneficiaries of the kind gesture shown by the LCCI.
She also promised that the university will use the printer to advance students’ learning process.
The donors of the 3D printers are Mikano International Ltd., Kawai Technology, and Universal Power Systems Nigeria Limited.
Featured Image: Dr. Muda Yusuf, Director-General, LCCI; Mrs. Toki Mabogunje, President, LCCI; and Engr. Leye Kupoluyi, Vice President, Chairman, Science, Energy & Technology Committee, LCCI
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