We are now halfway through our journey with the Timothy Smith Network's Boston Design Academy, and the progress has been nothing short of fantastic! The students have taken the health education from week 1 and used it to define their tech fitness and health prototype ideas. They are now utilising the project management skills and engineering design process expertise they've been developing to design a prototype targeting a niche area of fitness or health with a piece of wearable tech.

Teaching Python coding has been a race against time, but by tailoring the course to individual needs and paying close attention to each student, we have managed to keep everyone on track. It's been incredibly rewarding to see them grasp complex concepts in such a short period.

I have nearly finished the 3D modeling with Fusion 360 component of the course. I decided to teach this in a follow-along style, where I complete each step on a board at the front before checking that each student is up to speed. This approach was chosen based on pre-assessments showing the students had similar aptitudes and pre-existing knowledge about 3D modeling and printing. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with students enjoying this hands-on method.

We've progressed from designing simple name tags at the start to more complex components like threaded glass bottles that map to the shape of an image. A significant challenge arose in week 2 when a new student joined without the pre-existing knowledge required. Through close, focused work, we were able to bring him up to speed, and he has been able to keep up with the rest of the class.

As we look forward to the remainder of the course, the students still need to 3D print their prototypes and code the Arduino using the knowledge they will gain in week 4. The goal is to produce a justifiable design that stands up to scrutiny. 

The journey has been incredible so far, and I can't wait to see the innovative prototypes the students will create!