the nxt step - assessing with lego robots
DESCRIPTION
Workshop delivered by Kent Pledger, Mid Calder Primary School, at the 2011 eAssessment Scotland conference.TRANSCRIPT
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Digital Natives
*every child born since 2000 has never known a world without the internet
*their brains are hardwired to think differently, more linearly, more compatible to the way computers work, why, because they have grown up in a world of programmable toasters, phones, televisions and gadgets of all kinds
*if children can build, play and understand games that work, it is possible that someday they will understand and design systems that work. And the world is full of complicated systems
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Assessment is for Learning If you don’t have a piece of paper in front of you
and boxes to tick, how do you assess your pupils? Practical hands-on 3 dimensional learning, to
demonstrate their comprehension of a subject Break your class into groups of 4 to 6 pupils These groups ought to be made up of right & left
brain children, ‘thinkers & doers’, different sexes and learning abilities
This ‘forces’ pupils to work together to problem solve
Make notes of behavioral changes, digitally record their work, facilitate & enable
I call this method ‘the great classroom leveler’
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A Crash Course in LEGO NXT Robotics - Getting Started
Meri V. Cummings, Ph.D.
NASA-sponsored Classroom of the Future
Center for Educational Technologies
Wheeling Jesuit University
316 Washington Ave.
Wheeling, WV 26003
Phone: 304-243-2499
E-mail: [email protected]
URL: http://www.cet.edu/robotics/
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Why Study Robotics?
Robotics is an excellent way to introduce the students to integrated areas (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)
Students participating in robotics learn about careers and experience the same activities as professionals solving real-world problems
Everyone – girls and boys alike – should get a chance to see how much fun it is learning engineering skills this way!
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The Least You Need One computer (ideally, a school computer
lab with LEGO MINDSTORMS Education Software installed)
One robotics kit, LEGO MINDSTORMS Education Base Set, per 2-10 youth - I recommend you start with a small group (e.g., 4 students) – 1 kit per 2 students is perfect – you might also want several Education Resource sets (spare parts)
LEGO MINDSTORMS Education Software to program the robot
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After you’ve learned the basics, then what? There are lots of robotics competitions kids
can participate in, such as FIRST LEGO League (FLL)
The tournaments tend to include multipart, real-world problems and research and occur over specific time periods - for instance, the FLL challenge is released in mid-Sept. each year and competitions occur from Nov. through Feb.
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The Problem-solving Process What is the robot’s task? What behaviors are needed to accomplish it? Create the program – debug then download. Run the program. Is the NXT behaving badly (doesn’t do task)?
Check the robot first. If there’s a problem, can you fix it?
Next, check the program. Problem? Can you fix it?
Last, go back to the beginning and reread the task. Does your program really tell the robot what it’s supposed to do?
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Challenge 1: Line ProgramCreate and test a program to make the
robot go forward in a straight line for exactly 1 second
Save your program as your first name and Line (e.g., FileSave as
Maria LineEnter)
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Challenge 2: Square ProgramCreate and test a program to make the
robot go in a squareSave your program as your first name
and Square
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Challenge 3: Light Dark ProgramCreate and test a program to make the
robot: Go forward until it finds a dark line Stop for 1 second Go forward until it finds light Stop for 1 second Reverse for 4 seconds Save your program as your first name
and Light Dark
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Challenge 4: Tracker Program
Create a program to make the robot:Go forward until it finds a dark lineMove forward along the edge of the lineSave your program as your first name
and Tracker
Hints: You need a loop, and it’s easier if the robot starts at less than a 90 angle
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Challenge 5 – Bump Program
Create a program to make the robot:Go forward until it finds a wallTurn moving backward for 2 secondsRepeat these behaviors for 5 “wall
bumps”Save your program as your first name
and Bump
Hint: You’ll need to use wait until Touch in for the first step.
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Bonus Beep Challenge
Create a program to make the robot:Go forward until it finds a lineStop for 1 second and beepRepeat for 5 linesFor fun, end with a different soundSave your program as your first name
and Beep
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NXT Education Links
http://firsthandtechnology.org.uk/Default.aspx
http://thenxtstep.blogspot.com/
http://www.thenxtclassroom.com/
http://www.educatenxt.com/
http://www.nxtprograms.com/index1.html
http://www.nxtprograms.com/index2.html
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Robotics Web Sites NASA Robotics Alliance Project
http://robotics.nasa.gov/home.php NASA Robotics Curriculum Clearinghouse
http://robotics.nasa.gov/rcc/ Mars Exploration Rover Mission
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html
Robotics Academy http://www-education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/ FIRST LEGO League
http://www.firstlegoleague.org BEST Robotics http://www.bestinc.org/MVC/
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Sample NXT Programs
Challenge 2 – Square with a sound
Challenge 1 – Forward for 1 second
Challenge 3 – Detecting Light/Dark
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NXT Programming DetailsSelect a motor icon (you’ll see a blue border around it) to open its control panel - displayed at the bottom of the screen
Additional control panels for sensors and wait for
icons have similar displays
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Due to the limited amount of memory available for the NXT, all currently installed sound files should be deleted
Sound files take up a lot of space and should be used selectively
Use the same sound file repeatedly in stored programs to cut down on memory usage
NXT Programming Details (cont’d)
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Hands-on: Your Turn!Use LEGO MINDSTORMS Educator to
program the NXT robot to move in a square
Think about the robot’s required behaviours to move in a square
What motors have to do what for each behaviour?
Which behaviours repeat? You can loop them!
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Curriculum for Excellence
*SUCCESSFUL LEARNERS
*CONFIDENT INDIVIDUALS
*RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS
*EFFECTIVE CONTRIBUTORS
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Unlocking Hidden Potential
Games based learning is all about unlocking pupils’ hidden potential
Empowering pupils to take control of their learning
Encouraging pupils to mentor other pupils, share skills, work together and problem solve
Teachers taking on the role of Facilitator, and pupils pushing learning forward
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Games are very good at:*giving dynamic ongoing feedback
*presenting challenging learning experiences
*trusting in the ability of the player/learner
*nurturing growth mindsets
*maximising potential for peer assessment
*presenting purposeful and relevant learning opportunities
*ensuring assessment is not 'done to' but 'observed’
*giving players/learners the the best chance of success