Sometimes, educators would ask me why we don't use the "FREE" CAD offerings for our 3D ThinkLink courseware at YouthQuest,

I am sure, when I introduce the new courseware, that subject will come up almost immediately.

And, I am ready to answer that question based on direct experience teaching a parametric CAD program (Onshape) at one end and Tinkercad at the other.

I actually know, admire and respect the creator of Onshape, Scott Harris. My admiration for Scott goes back to the days when I was blogging about Cosmic Blobs, THE most fun 3D application for children ever created.

We taught Onshape at Phillips due to it's certification program. And, if my goal was limited to teaching advanced students heading to engineering degree programs, I might put my focus on Onshape. But, it is clearly more difficult to learn for the population of at-risk young people that I think can benefit most from learning 3D design. And, the cost is way out of reach for parents who home school.

At the other end of the spectrum, I currently teach two classes in Tinkercad. While there are so,e admirable things about Tinkercad, the structure actually fights against actually learning 3D design and funnels the student into a pick & choose quasi 3D world that lacks clearly identifiable methodologies. It truly does encourage tinkering rather than designing. And, it is difficult to steer students to 3D printable designs when so many pre-made parts require supports.

Moment of Inspiration is a terrific value, especially at the educational license level. It is FAR faster and actually easier to design in MOI3D than it is with Tinkercad once one goes beyond simply dragging in 3D parts and thinking that is 3D design. Moreover, it permits highly detailed and accurate designs.

But, there is an even better reason for choosing MOI3D for the population I have served for the past decade and which will remain my primary focus with the new courseware, at-risk young people.

There is something very different about the MOI3D interface that makes it easier to communicate to those that might struggle academically. The palette system organizes functionality in a way that the traditional windows interface does not and can not. Perhaps it is more visual. But, whatever the reason, I know from experience that kids that come into the class fearing they cannot do well, soon learn not only how to create in 3D; but, how to fix any short-comings in their design. And, THAT is the primary benefit for most of the students I teach. Learning to overcome initial 'failures' and building resiliency.

Teaching 3D Design with Moment of Inspiration has, literally, changed the lives of at-risk and neurodiverse students and that is why I have put the effort into creating a new curriculum that I am now to free to distribute to all.

Hi Tom, thank you very much for all your work teaching and designing curriculum.

I'm really glad that MoI has been useful!

Thanks, - Michael

I do not believe that our students would have learned the same life lessons as quickly and as easily with any other interface available for 3D design.

Even non-readers get the icons. And, the organization by palettes rather than drop down menus speeds up searching for the right action. And, the multiple layers of help that you have provided are enormously helpful.

If one looks back at my Cubifyfans Youtube channel, they will learn that I started out creating tutorials for a parametric design application.

But, it was so buggy that I became ashamed that I was involved in encouraging people to buy the product. It was the reliability of MOI3D that first sold me and changed my focus. The fact that it was so intuitive was a plus. Over the years I have gained even more appreciation for the interface.

But, what is so remarkable is the fact that while novices can learn to use MOI3D very quickly, those with advanced skills can do so much!

Compare, for instance, the automobile designs in the MOI3D galleries with the automobile designs in the Tinkercad galleries!

We made the right choice.