On October 21st, the Intel China 2016 Industry Summit was held in Chimelong, Zhuhai. Industry experts and industry elites from various industries such as finance, energy, internet, education, healthcare, transportation, and retail jointly discussed the overall development trend of the industry. It is proud that Qi Jun, a teacher of Nanchang No. 23 Middle School, appeared on the peak exhibition platform with his maker's works guiding students.

Practical Maker Works

This time, I will bring two student works, namely Zhang Renlie's "The Magic Hat of the Castle Master" and Xiong Zijian's "The Magic Desktop Castle". "Qi Jun told reporters that as a member of the education industry exhibition booth, these two student works he brought have attracted the attention of many industry insiders. Even the Vice President of Intel Group came to listen to my work explanation

The reporter learned that these two works not only demonstrate students' imaginative imagination, but also have practicality. In 'Magic Desktop Castle', small plants are planted, and a temperature sensor is hidden in the adjacent room. There is a humidity sensor in the plant soil, and there are two colored LED lights at the top of the room, each displaying the temperature and humidity situation. The magical castle is filled with melodious music. Whenever night falls, the castle perceives the surroundings gradually darkening, and the surrounding lights begin to light up. There are more beautiful lighting effects that can be adjusted using a mobile app through Bluetooth.

The Magic Hat of the Castle Master is a magical hat. The person wearing it can detect obstacles in front of them in dark environments and alarm based on distance. There is a temperature sensor inside the hat. When the temperature is detected to be too high, the hat will turn on the fan to cool the sweating forehead. When walking at night, the LED light behind the hat will light up, making it easy for people or cars from afar to see you. In addition, there is an infrared sensor that will immediately detect anyone approaching from behind, and the sound of the alarm will raise people's vigilance.

A 'classroom' that stimulates creative thinking

A work created by an ordinary middle school student using professional programming software has entered the high-end industry summit, which in Qi Jun's view is largely thanks to the maker classroom set up by the school. At noon, other students had already taken a lunch break, while members of the "Maker" community group stayed in the General-purpose technology classroom to practice 3D modeling, robot production, etc.

This classroom is the school's maker experimental center, where we can conduct a series of related productions such as 3D printing and electronic building block technology. "Student Xiong Zijian told reporters that he originally joined the club because of his interest. With the professional guidance of the teachers, he will now use weekends and other time to learn related knowledge.

The reporter learned that the Maker Classroom not only enhances students' hands-on and brainstorming abilities, but also cultivates students' interdisciplinary problem-solving abilities in science, engineering, art, and other fields, as well as improves their teamwork awareness and overall quality.

Li Yuping, the principal of Nanchang 23rd Middle School, stated that setting up maker programs is a part of quality education. The school not only values students' ability to take exams, but also hopes that students can cultivate their interests and hobbies, stimulate creative thinking, and improve their comprehensive literacy.

Nanchang Students Achieve Excellent Results in the National Maker Competition

Since last year, Nanchang No. 23 Middle School has established the first maker laboratory for primary and secondary schools in the city, and set up a Student society with 3D printing as its main content. The membership of the association has expanded rapidly from less than 10 people at the beginning to more than 20 people. This year's club recruitment activity is exceptionally hot, and we have to set some new exam questions to screen out suitable students, "the club's guidance teacher told reporters.

The reporter learned that such "maker" clubs have also emerged in other primary and secondary schools in Nanchang. Since 2015, more than 30 municipal primary and secondary schools and some county schools in Nanchang have been gradually equipped with at least one 3D printer. In 2016, maker training was gradually introduced and targeted training was carried out throughout the city.

Nanchang students have also begun to stand out in national "maker competitions". In the 17th National Primary and Secondary School Computer Production Activity "Maker Project", Nanchang won a total of 1 first prize, 4 second prizes, and 9 third prizes. Wan Yajun, deputy director of Nanchang Modern Education Technology Center, said that he would introduce maker projects such as 3D printing and robot production into the campus, hoping that more students could access cutting-edge and new teaching equipment, "to stimulate the creative potential of students, and transform subject knowledge into creative products."