GSB Technology: Computer Aided Design

One of our Upper School Computer Science electives is Computer Aided Design. As stated in our curriculum guide:

This course is open to all students in grades 9-12 who are interested in learning computer-aided design for school-related assignments or personal projects. Architects, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, landscape designers, interior designers, genealogists, forensic scientists and a host of other professions have used CAD in recent years to plan, organize, and visually communicate their ideas to colleagues and clients.

Students in this class will explore design principles and the production process needed to produce high-quality CAD renditions. We will examine diagrams of electrical schematics, architectural designs, floor plans, landscape layouts, mind-mapping, etc. Along the way, students will also learn how to use today's digital equipment: computers, scanners, digital cameras, DVD-burners, etc. A variety of computer software programs will be utilized and learned.

Working both individually and in groups, students will develop an understanding of the technology and related design principles needed to produce a variety of CAD-based projects on their own in the future.

Recently, the Computer Aided Design (CAD) class has been utilizing SketchUp, CAD software developed by Google. SketchUp is a 3-D modeling tool used to present geometric concepts. No doubt you've seen the results of a SketchUp project (or similar software) in the popular media. Some advertisement companies utilize the software. Tech savvy automobile ads, for instance, will often show a schematic of a new design and then rotate it in space. Science fiction films often use the same effect. This ability to work and navigate in a 3-D environment is at the heart of SketchUp. The software puts a premium on a broad skill set. Students need to think creatively, precisely and analytically.

Irv Taylor, the class teacher, has been integrating SketchUp into the curriculum for years. He's assembled an interesting array of projects that allow students plenty of creative license while being sure to develop their modeling skills. One of the assignments students undertake is to use SketchUp to accurately render the Hockenbury computer lab serving as their classroom. Accuracy in objects and proportions is important, as is attention to detail. Here's an example of one student's work:

On the student's computer, this image could be rotate in a variety of ways to allow the student different viewing perspectives.

The objects that might be rendered are limitless. But no matter the choice of object, students will need to be creative, precise and analytical in approaching the work. Below, a gallery of some student work.