A model of maker education in China universities by smart technologies: The perspective of innovation ecosystem

Maker education for entrepreneurship and innovation is an important mission of China universities. However, current maker education in China universities has the limitations of closed innovation, efficiency-driven, focal product, specialized organization, and so on. This failed to meet makers' demands for real-time awareness of space, adaptive automatic resources, diverse innovation activities and tools with intelligent support in makerspace. Therefore, the innovation ecosystem has emerged to be the best choice to solve those problems. This paper first analyses fundamental principles and elements of innovation ecosystem, and then discusses essentials and properties of innovation ecosystem-oriented maker(IEOM) education. After that, the model of IEOM education by smart technologies is developed, including innovation subject, innovation activity, and innovation environment. Innovative subjects include experiencers, innovators, researchers and experts. Innovation activities are created by the innovation subjects including interest, research, practice and smart creation. The innovation environment is a creation scenario reflecting innovative subjects' rich creation in participating in innovation activities.