Autodesk Education Resources

Autodesk, a leading software and services company, has long provided educational resources relating to design and design software. Autodesk's design programs and software introduce elementary and secondary students to a world where GIS and computer technology are becoming increasingly important as planning tools. Selected resources are highlighted below. You can find more detailed descriptions and information on additional resources through the links provided.

Design Fest 2007: Student Engineering and Design Community

A place for students of architecture, design, engineering, or planning to connect, get access to Autodesk software, learn from experts, take tutorials, and more.

Instructor Development seminars

Autodesk offers seminars all around the country to give educators the in-depth knowledge of Autodesk software they can use to better teach their students design technology.

Autodesk Design Academy

For a more direct incorporation of Autodesk into the school, look to the Autodesk Design Academy, "a comprehensive pre-engineering, pre-architecture, and cross-discipline program developed specifically for secondary schools by experienced educators and technical experts" (from the website).

Autodesk Design Academy teaches students the design process and then familiarizes them with the same software used by professionals. By including real-life design issues, the curriculum helps students realize how the design process is important and why what they're doing is relevant. This, in turn, aids development of science, technology, engineering, and math skills. According to the website, "Surveys indicate that students exposed to a pre-engineering or pre-architecture program score higher on national standards tests for math and science."

DesignKids

Autodesk DesignKids™ brings design technology to kids' fingertips with its innovative software. According to the description on the website,
"Autodesk DesignKids is an exploratory technology program for elementary and middle schools. It takes students through fun, project-based modules to communicate their ideas through design and visualization, and engages educators and students in real-life projects while reinforcing critical thinking, building comprehension skills, and encouraging teamwork."

The software meets national education standards, is flexible in its applications, and is easy for teachers and students to use.

* Watch the DesignKids introductory webcast.