Make Onshape Part of Your Fall Semester CAD Plan

The second step is to dive right into our educational materials that will set the stage for a semester of hands-on learning.

Whether you’re a seasoned Onshape user or just beginning your journey, we offer a variety of resources tailored specifically for educators. These make it easier to integrate computer-aided design (CAD) exercises and projects into your curriculum. 

Here’s a guide to some of the most valuable resources available:

Onshape for Education Webinars

Watch for Timely & Helpful Resources

Webinars are a fantastic way to stay updated with the latest features and best practices in Onshape. These sessions not only provide important and topical information but also include Q&A segments where you can learn from the experiences of other educators. 

This live, interactive format provides both current and practical insights. Our next webinar will cover a variety of resources as well as our newest feature, Classes & Assignments, developed specifically for educators.

Onshape’s Innovation Blog

Browse for Examples, Ideas, and Tips from Fellow Educators

Blogs are another excellent resource for educators. They offer a wealth of examples, ideas, and tips on how to effectively use Onshape in a classroom setting. 

Whether you’re looking for project inspiration or advice on best practices, blogs written by fellow educators, students, and team mentors can provide valuable insights from experienced Onshape users.

The Onshape Learning Center

Peruse Curricula, Learning Pathways, Projects & Lessons

The Learning Center is a comprehensive tool designed to help you begin and continue your journey with Onshape. It offers a variety of projects, self-paced lessons, and on-demand courses created by the PTC Education team, tailored to fit your classroom needs. 

The best part? Everything in the Learning Center is free with an Onshape account! (If you don’t have an account yet, you can sign up here.)

In the Onshape Learning Center, you’ll find:

• Curriculum: Our curricula offer ideas for introductory courses to CAD, helping you and your students get started with the basics such as Machine Component Design, Curves and Surfaces, Resources for Engineering Design Courses, and more! All of these courses have been designed in consultation with faculty who understand what it takes to prepare students for future careers in engineering. 

• Learning Pathways: Each Learning Pathway offers a self-guided lesson plan consisting of 3-5 steps. When students have completed all of the lessons within each Learning Pathway, they will receive an Onshape Certificate of Completion, helping you keep track of your students’ progress. This is an especially great option for flipped classrooms, or for educators to familiarize themselves with Onshape. 

• Projects: These range from projects your students can complete individually or work through as a class. Robot arms, robot pets, gumball machines, and more offer an opportunity to explore guided engineering before attempting their own designs. 

• Lessons: The Learning Center also provides educators with individual lessons, such as copying geometry and rendering. If you are looking for a case-by-case teaching opportunity or extra practice, these lessons are a great resource. 

Onshape CAD Checker App

The Onshape CAD Checker App is an integrated tool designed to automate the evaluation of CAD models created in Onshape. It allows users to compare student models to an answer key to verify if they have completed a modeling assignment correctly. Additionally, it checks for “best practices” in individual models, providing an overview of the model activity at a high level.

This app was designed with educators and students in mind. It helps streamline the process of assessing CAD assignments and ensures that models adhere to certain standards and practices.

Back-to-School with Onshape for Education

As you embark on a new school year, integrating Onshape into your curriculum can open up a world of possibilities for both you and your students. By utilizing these resources, you can ensure that you’re making the most of what Onshape has to offer, providing your students with a robust and interactive learning experience. 

Have you signed up for Onshape yet? If not, it’s free for students and educators!