Importance of Arduino in Maker Education

With the global popularity of STEAM education in the United States, maker education has become an essential part of STEAM education, enhancing children’s hands-on skills, logical thinking, and problem-solving abilities. Furthermore, maker education has become a primary teaching method for cultivating interdisciplinary skills in children. As a foundational tool for maker education, Arduino is unavoidable for both teachers and students in STEAM education.

In a previous article, it was mentioned that to be a true STEAM maker teacher, one must start with mastering Arduino, highlighting the significance and indispensable role of Arduino in maker education.

Arduino is an open-source electronic prototyping platform from Italy that has gained worldwide popularity. In China, Arduino has become part of the extracurricular curriculum in primary and secondary schools. Students proficient in Arduino can participate in events such as the China Youth Science and Technology Innovation Competition and the China Youth Robotics Competition, becoming major projects. Students who win awards in these competitions can obtain qualifications as science and technology talents. Even if special talent categories are eliminated, proficiency in Arduino remains a significant advantage for university admissions and applications to top universities abroad.

Arduino Maker Teacher Training: Key to Implementing STEAM Education

Today, STEAM education has become a crucial driver for the quality education of Chinese children, gradually becoming a necessity. However, the shortage of STEAM education teachers in schools and outside institutions has become a major bottleneck hindering industry development, impacting the effective implementation of STEAM education. As an organization dedicated to “cultivating and reserving talent for the STEAM education industry,” we take this issue very seriously. With a global perspective and in line with domestic development, we conduct in-depth research on how to rapidly enhance the teaching strength in the STEAM education sector, aiming to train more excellent teachers and develop courses to contribute to the actual implementation of STEAM education in China.

Enhancing the Teaching Strength in Arduino Maker Education: Essential Professional Books

To further popularize Arduino maker education and enhance teachers’ teaching capabilities, we have compiled a list of the main domestic and international introductory books on Arduino and maker education for STEAM teachers. The details are as follows:

Arduino Project Book

Authors: Scott Fitzgerald and Michael Shiloh

Translator: Zhou Yanbing

Publisher: Arduino SRL

Specifications: 170 pages / color pages

Print: Italy

Non-publication, not sold separately from the official Arduino starter kit

Recommendation Reason

This book is officially published by Arduino, ensuring high quality. It introduces the components used and presents projects as units to explain the applications of Arduino boards. It includes circuit diagrams, wiring diagrams, and code explanations for each project. Most importantly, this book is included in the kit, solving the common problems faced by beginners in selecting books, development boards, components, and accessories. What does each component do? How can it be used to achieve a certain function? All these can be learned through reading and hands-on practice.

Content Summary

This book teaches the basics of Arduino through hands-on creative projects. It covers very useful electronic components and includes 14 sample projects. From basic knowledge of electronic components to complex projects, it effectively helps those without knowledge of electronic circuits to control the physical world using sensors and actuators. This book is included in the official Arduino starter kit and comes with a beginner-level Arduino Uno development board and all the electronic components needed for 14 experiments.

Super Illustrated Arduino Interactive Design Introduction (2nd Edition)

Author: Zhao Yingjie

ISBN: 9789863121954

Series: Computer

Specifications: Paperback / 640 pages / 17 x 23 cm / ordinary grade / two-color printing / second edition

Publication: Taiwan

Recommendation Reason

This book is highly recommended by Federico Musto, the global president of Arduino. It not only provides clear wiring diagrams and code explanations but also features cute hand-drawn illustrations, enhancing the fun of learning. Additionally, it includes numerous modifications of 3C gadgets, creating interesting interactive games, and combines Arduino with Android.

Content Summary

The goal of this book is to make it easy for high school students and above, who have no electronic circuit background but are interested in microcomputers, electronic DIY, and interactive devices, to read and successfully use Arduino control boards for interactive applications. Therefore, the electronic and programming concepts used in experiments are explained through hand-drawn illustrations, making it easy to understand.

Arduino Cookbook (2nd Edition)

Author: Michael Margolis

Translator: Yang Kunyun

ISBN: 9787115384447

Specifications: 800×1000 1/16 39 sheets black and white / second edition

Recommended Shelf: Computer/Electronic Technology

Publisher: People’s Posts and Telecommunications Press

Recommendation Reason

The Arduino Cookbook is translated from Margolis’s “Arduino Cookbook.” The author, Michael Margolis, is one of the developers of the Arduino language library and core software. Therefore, inexperienced beginners can learn how to implement various functions through programming code, while experienced users can discover many tips that they may not have noticed, making their programming more efficient.

Content Summary

This book is an authoritative introductory manual on Arduino’s basic knowledge and applications, covering everything from basic concepts and common tasks to advanced techniques. The first four chapters introduce simple introductory knowledge to familiarize you with Arduino and how to communicate with computers and other devices. Chapters 5 to 9 provide detailed explanations of inputs and outputs. Chapter 10 begins to introduce advanced programming and technical applications. This book will help you become proficient in using Arduino through 200 common examples, providing detailed explanations without requiring prior software and hardware experience. Through this book, you can quickly find solutions to hardware and software problems using computer technology and environmental interaction. Experienced programmers can also find ways to utilize low-level AVR resources to build applications using the Arduino environment.

Falling in Love with Arduino

Author: Massimo Banzi

Translator: Yu Xinlong

ISBN: 9787115253507

Publisher: People’s Posts and Telecommunications Press

Recommendation Reason

This book narrates the entire process of learning Arduino in a simple manner, making it an excellent resource for Arduino beginners. The language is easy to understand, and I highly recommend everyone to refer to it, as you may gain some insights.

Content Summary

Arduino is an open-source electronic prototyping platform that includes an easy-to-use circuit board and a software development environment. Arduino can run independently and is interactive. It can connect to peripheral devices of a PC and communicate with PC software. It has sparked a revolution among design enthusiasts. “Falling in Love with Arduino” thoroughly introduces Arduino-related content, providing you with many project ideas and helping you successfully implement the entire process from planning to installation.

Mastering Arduino from Beginner to Pro

Author: John Baichtal

Translator: Weng Kai

Publisher: Mechanical Industry Press

Recommendation Reason

This book covers everything from beginner to expert level, making it accessible for those with zero foundation. It is easy to understand and teaches 13 easy-to-learn tips, allowing you to master Arduino usage and related skills comprehensively.

Content Summary

Quickly create circuits using a breadboard without soldering; make a laser/infrared interruption detector to protect your home from intrusion; use Bluetooth and XBee to make a doorbell; write reliable Arduino programs from scratch; use Arduino’s ultrasonic, temperature, pressure, and light sensors; create responsive works for the environment; make your own watering robot; control DC motors, servo motors, and stepper motors; create time-tracking works; safely control high-voltage circuits; and obtain useful components from old appliances.

Fun with Electronics: Fun Electronic Experiments for Makers

Author: Charles Platt

Translator: Li Weimeng

Publisher: People’s Posts and Telecommunications Press

Recommendation Reason

This book is the second edition of the bestselling book “Electronics Around Us,” continuing the first edition’s accessible and humorous style while revising all experiments based on technological innovations. The new sixth chapter provides more detailed purchasing suggestions for experimental materials, as well as classic reference books and recommended readings.

Content Summary

This book presents a series of interesting electronic experiments, guiding readers from simple resistors to intricate microcontrollers, exploring various electronic components and the principles behind them. The experimental approach is innovative, the phenomena are engaging, and the explanations are clear and easy to understand. Readers can easily appreciate the wonders of the electronic world while reading. Detailed introductions and purchasing guides for experimental tools are provided at the end of the book, making it convenient for readers to start their discovery journey.

“Sensor Practical Guide: 41 Maker-Friendly Arduino and Raspberry Pi Projects”

Authors: Tero Karvinen, Kimmo Karvinen, Ville …

Translators: Yu Xinlong, Li Ze

Publisher: People’s Posts and Telecommunications Press

Recommendation Reason

Arduino and Raspberry Pi practical skills, translated by the founder of the AOSON robot and recommended by experts, including the general manager of Arduino China.

Content Summary

This book introduces the basics of Arduino and Raspberry Pi and explains how to use sensors through multiple interesting projects, including measuring touch, light, temperature, humidity, gas, magnetic fields, and acceleration data, and providing feedback based on the values. The book not only covers basic knowledge but also provides a novel mini-project in each chapter for readers to practice, integrating various techniques learned.

Learning Arduino with LEGO Robotics

Authors: John Baichtal, author of Make magazine and the “Geek Dad” blog, and one of the authors of “LEGO Myth”. Matthew Beckler is a graduate student in electronic engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and one of the founders of LLC, where he creates open-source hardware. Adam Wolf is a hardware engineer at an electronic design service company and the creator of the electronic shield used in this book’s engineering projects.

Recommendation Reason

Arduino and MINDSTORMS NXT LEGO robots are two favorites among today’s makers. “Learning Arduino with LEGO Robotics” innovatively combines both, showing how to use Arduino to enhance the performance of MINDSTORMS NXT robots to create interesting projects like coffee machines, music synthesizers, and line lamps. The project perspective is unique, providing inspiration for makers.

Each project in “Learning Arduino with LEGO Robotics” outlines the production steps and detailed explanations, accompanied by complete illustrations, guiding you through the entire production process. The content is derived from the firsthand experiences of professional makers.

“Learning Arduino with LEGO Robotics” teaches you how to: create a drawing robot that marks the path with a marker; make a cool clock; build a chocolate milk machine; create a controllable robotic arm; design a guitar-shaped LEGO music synthesizer; and make a LEGO lamp that adjusts brightness with a smartphone.

Content Summary

Arduino and MINDSTORMS NXT LEGO robots are two favorites among today’s makers. “Learning Arduino with LEGO Robotics” innovatively combines both, showing how to use Arduino to enhance the performance of MINDSTORMS NXT robots to create interesting projects like chocolate milk machines, remote-controlled lamps, and robotic arms, suitable for teachers who enjoy robotics.

Professional Teacher Training for Arduino in Primary and Secondary Schools by the China Electronics Society

Time and Location

Time: May 11-14, 2019

Location: China Electronics Society Shanghai Training Base (10C, East Building, Kangji Building, 290 Tianmu West Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai)

Registration Fee

Original Price: 3680 yuan

Discount: Join the “Arduino Primary and Secondary School Teacher Training Column” of Chuan Yu STEAM Teacher’s First Classroom for 1 yuan to enjoy an 80% discount.

Quota: 20 people, registration will close once full.

Registration Inquiry

For specific registration details, scan the QR code below to add the person in charge on WeChat for online consultation:

Instructor

Peter Peng: Graduated from Beijing Normal University, later studied at Stanford University in the United States, has eight years of maker experience, currently a senior member of IEEE, and holds several national invention patents.

Official Certificate

Teachers who complete all subjects and pass assessments will receive the “National Electronic Information Talent Capability Improvement Project Professional Technical Certificate” issued by the China Electronics Society. According to the requirements of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security’s “Management Measures for National-level Professional Technical Personnel Continuing Education Bases” (Human Resources Department [2013] No. 53), this learning experience can be recorded in the “Professional Technical Personnel Continuing Education Certificate” or learning archives.

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