Design and implementation of data collection mechanism for 3D design course based on xAPI standard

3D design software is a commonly used interactive learning tool in STEM education. It is generally believed that 3D design can effectively train students’ spatial thinking and engineering design abilities. There have been many theoretical and practical achievements in the application of 3D printing education, but the evaluation of 3D design is mainly based on diagnostic and summative evaluations, which ignores the growth of students’ spatial thinking and engineering design ability. Students’ creativity and problem-solving abilities are limited, while teachers have not been able to teach students in accordance with their aptitude. In this study, we propose a 3D printing course data collection model based on xAPI specifications, and use GeekCAD design software to implement the xAPI profile and apply it to the 3D printing course. The successful implementation of this model at Li Jun primary school proved that xAPI can completely record the learning paths of students. Through the analysis of interactive data, we found that students have different operating habits and learning paths which provide the basis for the evaluation of students’ spatial thinking ability and engineering design skill in interactive learning environment.