Processi cognitivi e stampante 3D alla scuola dell'infanzia: stimolare lo sviluppo cognitivo per potenziare l'apprendimento

Abstract

The kindergarten has a central role in the development of cognitive functions that are foundational to more complex skills. The present work aims to investigate the cognitive processes involved in using 3D printers in pre-primary school through the administration of standardized tests. The goal is to understand if 3D printing can contribute to pupils' cognitive development by deploying learning strategies based on cognitive activation. The WPPSI-III (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence) was administered to 61 pupils (24 females, 37 males) from three pre-primary schools located in the geographical north, center and south of Italy respectively. In each school, an experimental group (in which students used a 3D printer) and comparison group (no use of 3D printer) was tested. Two baseline sessions were held initially, followed by a first post-test after a period of six months. This article describes the test outcomes regarding the scoring of the general IQ, performance, verbal and data processing skills.