Educational robotics

Editor's Notes

• #5 21st Century Skills – Life and Career Skills, Learning and Innovation Skills, Information, Media and Technology Skills. Core Subjects and 21st Century ThemesKey competencies – thinking, using language, symbols and texts, managing self, relating to others, contributing.
• #6 The word constructionism is a mnemonic for two aspects of the theory of science education underlying this project. From constructivist theories of psychology we take a view of learning as a reconstruction rather than as a transmission of knowledge. Then we extend the idea of manipulative materials to the idea that learning is most effective when part of an activity the learner experiences as constructing a meaningful product.Mathland – learn language of Maths naturally
• #7 Wide range of topics – robopuppy, flower garden, bird feederFlower garden
• #8 Lego NXT – retail and educational – graphical interface.
• #9 Storage – kits or separate parts of a combination of bothAllocation – a kit per group or only for the session – combination of bothVery battery intensive - charging
• #11 Prebuilt or build as part of teaching – depending on the focus of the lesson, and Learning Intention. For example if the Learning Intentions is based around engineering you need to build – but if you are just focusing on programming or sensors etc can go prebuilt – sometimes can start with simple build and add to it. Building skills can be taught outside the robot. Girls are not as familiar with building with techniclego. Time management also part of it – if need to build a wheeled robot – may not have time for programming.
• #13 Via USB or BluetoothDownload and run selected – useful for debuggingNXT Management – info about batteries, programmes etc.
• #15 Goal Orientated – where a specific goal has to be achieved. Cross over between Goal and Project Based – project based is broader though. Thematic Units – integrate with classroom programme – Antarctica – build robot to do certain tasks.
• #16 Literacy – robopuppyMathematics – Gears 8x tables, ratio, pi/circumferenceScience - Friction – need some friction but not too much. - speed vs torqueCity unit – robot providing guided tour. City unit – upload mp3s
• #17 If travels x in 1 second – how far in 3 seconds - .Gear trains – snail racesGiven knowledge about diameteroflego wheel how many rotations to travel a given distance. To get robot to rotate – impact of the wheel base. Make a fun game – competition – pedestrian crossing.
• #18 Promote – if it doesn’t work you are learning….
• #23 Project OrientatedDance – Low Floor, High ceiling. Imagination focused – dress up robots, Dance with the robots – but …. Need to focus on the programmingChallenge with Dance – accuracy of movements vs stay with music. Getting a lot more sophisticated every year. Rescue – Primary and Secondary