First, the establishment of programming thinking
A very important task of reading is to discover and understand the rules. For a long time to come, using programming to control the movement of objects will become the mainstream, and programming thinking is indispensable in daily life and work. Therefore, as a main line of maker education, it is necessary to understand programming thinking and even learn a little programming, but it is very difficult to learn computer language. In order to enable ordinary teachers and students to master programming, the graphical programming environment made by maker does not need to remember many complicated commands, but only needs to understand programming thinking and stack their own ideas with building blocks. This programming mode lowers the threshold of programming technology, so that ordinary information teachers, information teachers who have become monks halfway, teachers of science and general technology, teachers and students of other disciplines can quickly master programming, control hardware and make their own works in a short time. Therefore, if you want to participate in maker education, you must at least master a graphical programming method.
Second, the introduction of simple hardware
Besides learning computer language well, we also need computer language control hardware. At present, Arduino and its sensors are the easiest hardware to use. Arduino is called electronic building block internationally. It is not too difficult to use. It can be used not only in learning, but also in actual production. If you have mastered it, then you have grasped the main line of maker education at present. Arduino and its sensors are very cheap and can now be controlled by graphical programming. Together, controlling Arduino hardware through programming has formed a main line of maker education. It won't cost much. You don't even need a maker space, and you can spend a little money on maker education in the computer room.
Third, the extension of structural components.
In addition to graphic programming, Arduino motherboard, various sensors, there are also problems of working structure. There are several options for structural members:
First, the use of equipment in life, similar to the works in the scientific and technological innovation competition, has the disadvantage of being unsystematic and demanding of teachers and students. This kind of work is the maker's work that most resembles the maker's behavior. With the transformation of equipment in real life, the works made are ever-changing We can use pictures, clay, cloth heads, popsicles, wood, tin cans, plastic bottles, aluminum profiles and other equipment to make our makers' works. This kind of material,
The second is to use tools such as 3d printers or laser cutting machines to make mechanical structures, which may be more difficult than the first. Familiar skilled workers can't even do the whole mechanical system well, let alone our teachers and ordinary students. Besides graphic painting and 3D modeling, he also needs to know a lot of mechanical and structural knowledge, which is what school teachers lack most. Therefore, the use of 3d printers and laser cutting machines is only a concept for most beginners. Interested teachers can learn simple 3D modeling software such as autocad, sketch master and 123d software before purchasing equipment. In addition, if you don't have so many things to print and cut often, there are branded products online, which are not expensive.
Third, building blocks are used as structural members. At present, the common building blocks are Lego, Crab Kingdom and flat hole plate (such as Yue Long building block), among which Yue Long building block is actually a kind of toy, which students like very much. It can be used as a mechanical structure and even as a robot. In addition, the first method and the second method can be combined in this way, because the Yue Long robot has a perforated plate structure, and can make materials in daily life and production through a 3d printer. In the initial stage of maker education, it is very suitable to install screws on building blocks as mechanical equipment. Its disadvantage is that more users will have visual fatigue, especially for the judges. However, it is quite suitable as a prototype of teaching and works and a door to attract students to enter the maker, because the requirements for teachers and students are very low and cheap, and anyone can play.
Fourth, a hundred flowers are blooming and scattered.
After mastering graphic programming, micro-control Arduino board, sensor and mechanical structure, the main body of maker education comes out and is the backbone of maker education. In addition to the trunk, a tree must have branches and leaves to form a colorful maker education, but in any case, we must master the main line first so as not to confuse the teachers who carry out maker education. Maker's works are ever-changing, but education must be systematic and have rules first. On this main line, we should learn to program, learn to do things, learn to be mechanical, and create creativity through hands-on thinking. Therefore, in the early stage of maker education, the author thinks it is very difficult to master programming control hardware and make maker works. With the improvement of imported works and ideas, they are gradually extended to art and engineering, and the mode of comprehensive education appears and develops continuously. Among them, information technology teachers are the youngest and most dynamic subjects, and they should be at the forefront of maker education if they have the conditions.
V. Offering special courses
Grasp the main line and arrange your own courses according to your own specialties. If it can penetrate into regular teaching, it is best. If not, you can arrange interest group activities. It is certainly good to have the conditions to build a maker space. It is not low to have no conditions to carry out activities in the computer room. While completing the teaching task, we should give students more interesting hands-on activities. Maker's works, like reading famous books to students, broaden their horizons and increase their knowledge. Maker equipment makes students no longer unfamiliar with high-tech products in daily life. The only thing that needs attention is that school leaders should pay attention to it. In fact, many primary and secondary school teachers carry out maker education for free. If teachers have to pay for the equipment themselves, fewer teachers will participate. Although maker education does not need to invest a lot of money, it must be a long-term flow, and a small amount of equipment needed for work must be continuously invested. It is not advisable to buy all the lights at once, which is a waste, because different equipment is needed in the process of learning and creation to make ever-changing and distinctive works.