Smart Cup, Wisdom Creation: A Project-Based Learning Initiative for Maker Education

Abstract

Maker Education aims at learners thinking and creating things in innovative and ingenious ways, armed with Arduino open-source software and hardware as well as 3D printing technology. Inspired by the idea of Better Life with Wisdom Creation, the authors designed a project & problem-based learning initiative, Smart Cup, to explore the application of Maker concept in education. The paper illustrates how learners' design, programming and 3D modeling skills are acquired and enhanced through the process of making a Smart Cup, with its features demonstrated and actualized with 3D printing. A project-based learning model is also proposed in the paper as a reference for other Maker Education initiatives and practitioners. Our initiative indicates that learners' ability to innovate and integrate multi-skills is essential to practicing Maker Education.