The "STEAM Education", which originated from the brand-new educational concept introduced from the United States, was not really popularized, but the "Maker Education", which became hot because of "mass entrepreneurship and innovation", quickly entered the majority of primary and secondary schools. Many teachers can't tell the difference between "STEAM education" and "maker education". Which educational idea is better? This article will solve your doubts. However, to clarify the difference between them is not to distinguish them, but to think about how to link their educational ideas. Therefore, this paper will also share with you how to integrate the two to achieve more valuable innovative education, based on the concept of "Maker Tutor" in i3DOne Youth 3D Creative Community.

What is the difference and correlation between STEAM education and maker education?

STEAM education is a kind of teaching that combines five disciplines-science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. Maker Education advocates developing its own ideas and realizing them as concrete objects through software and hardware, such as designing 3D models with 3ONE and then printing them in 3D, and making electronic objects with Arduino programming. From these two meanings, it can be clearly distinguished. STEAM education is more interdisciplinary "knowledge integration", while maker education focuses on "practical creation" of ideas.

There is a high similarity between the two in essence-maker activities need the theoretical basis of knowledge provided by STEAM education, for example, 3D One design of buildings needs to understand the corresponding engineering, mathematical calculation of dimensions, and the art of improving the aesthetic feeling of models. Maker practice is the ultimate goal of STEAM education, that is, the knowledge system can only play a role if it helps entities to create, and even become a commercial product, connecting education and business.

How can the two educational concepts be linked to play the role of 1+ 1 > 2?

Teacher Wen Li, deputy director of the Science and Technology Center of the Middle School affiliated to Chaoyang School of China Renmin University, mentioned how to integrate maker education and STEAM education into a more effective curriculum system in the teaching case of "Three-dimensional creative design" under the stem education concept. Taking the repair of a spider's parts as an example, she integrated problem solving-learning STEAM related knowledge -3D design -3D printing production-problem solving.

First of all, we must understand the scientific raw materials of the robot spider movement and clarify the role of the footstep parts.

Secondly, the mathematical calculation of the size of the parts involves the process of solving the radius of the arc and the process of applying mathematical knowledge to solve practical problems.

Finally, according to the size, the 3D model is designed with 3D One, and printed and assembled.

More detailed teaching cases can be found in i3DOne community, and the revised teaching sharing of Teacher Wen Li can also be found. But the example of the combination of maker education and STEAM education is not only that, but also can be combined with more comprehensive disciplines. For example, Mr. Han, a maker tutor in i3DOne community, shared his knowledge of astronomy and physical dynamics, designed a Mars probe with 3DOne, and made it through 3D printing. Because I participated in the direct 3D design and interesting production, the boring scientific knowledge is more vivid and easy to learn, and I can deeply understand the knowledge points from the actual production. More successful teaching cases can be found in i3DOne community.