[Yr7-10it] robots

Wed Apr 23 18:21:15 EST 2008

>From another list - robotics resources and discussion 

From: oz-teachers-bounces at rite.ed.qut.edu.au
[mailto:oz-teachers-bounces at rite.ed.qut.edu.au] On Behalf Of Greig
Tardiani
Sent: Wednesday, 23 April 2008 9:54 AM
To: 'Professional community for teachers'
Subject: [Oz-teachers] RobotC Programming Moodle

For anyone interested in Robotics Programming I have just posted a
Moodle course onto the Australian Lesson Exchange Moodle.

It is designed to be used in the Preliminary SDD or yr 10 IST courses.
It uses a C based programming language which is the best robotics
programming language available at this time. The course contains a step
by step process of developing an understanding of programming principals
applying it to a robotics theme.

Also included are Challenges with assessable Rubrics included.

Finally there is a RoboCup junior Dance, Rescue and Soccer Group project
(incomplete at this stage but usable) for the students to further
develop and put into practice, what they have learned.

http://moodle.lessonexchange.org/course/view.php?id=26

If you have not gone to Lesson Exchange before, sign up and use and
submit resources for us all to use.

You can download the course and restore it to you Moodle from here.

http://wiki.lessonexchange.org/index.php?title=Robotics

All I ask is acknowledgment of the author.

Thankyou

Greig Tardiani

Head Teacher ICT

Pennant Hills High School 

Laurence Street

Pennant Hills, 2120

Ph: 9484 5732

Fax: 9875 4722

Web Page: http://www.pennanthil-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

RoboCup Junior Rescue Co-ordinator: http://www.robocupjunior.org.au/
<http://www.robocupjunior.org.au/> 

Australian Lesson Exchange Wiki Webmaster:
http://wiki.lessonexchange.org <http://wiki.lessonexchange.org> 

HSC Computing Advice Line Co-ordinator:
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/advice-line-2007.html

Email: greig.tardiani at education.nsw.gov.au

[and some questions I had asked Greig about this ] 

No problem forwarding on.

Yes I am using the Lego NXT kits.

The NXT is the NeXT iteration of the RCX Lego Mindstorms robotics kits.
RobotC works with both kits.

If you are looking at primary age students and in fact 7 to 10 beginner
level then I don't use C either. I have in the past used the RoboLab
software which is excellent, however, Lego will not support it after
2010 and are moving the the NeXTG software which is purely graphical and
there is a new version on the way that will give it the functionality of
the RoboLab software, so it appears to be the way to go.

I intend on redoing the whole RobotC Course I have posted into a NextG
version so that I can use the same teaching resources ie fields etc and
use either NextG or RobotC to teach with.

This one took me the better part of 50 hours and I had everything.

The NextG version will actually take longer as I will have to produce
the stimulus material but I am starting shortly. I will be teaching it
this term so it will be ready quite soon.

When teaching in a Computing type class I actually have ready built
robots and leave the building to when the kids want to enter into the
RoboCup.

If however you are doing a Science and Engineering type topic then the
building is all part of the exercise. One thing I have found is that you
need to be very flexible with your time. You can spend huge amounts of
time playing with robotics and learning heaps in the process. Because it
is so engrossing for both boys and girls, just let them keep playing and
just target the topic areas you need to cover within the creativity and
learning of the robotics model.

As a proportion of time build to program about 50:50 but you need to be
flexible. If you have some basic challenges then you can have the one
model eg the REM and then simply add things to it to accommodate the
different challenges.

Thankyou

Greig Tardiani

Head Teacher ICT

Pennant Hills High School 

Laurence Street

Pennant Hills, 2120

Ph: 9484 5732

Fax: 9875 4722

Web Page: http://www.pennanthil-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

RoboCup Junior Rescue Co-ordinator: http://www.robocupjunior.org.au/
<http://www.robocupjunior.org.au/> 

Australian Lesson Exchange Wiki Webmaster:
http://wiki.lessonexchange.org <http://wiki.lessonexchange.org> 

HSC Computing Advice Line Co-ordinator:
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/advice-line-2007.html

Email: greig.tardiani at education.nsw.gov.au

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________________________________

From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Marcel van
Otterdyk
Sent: Tuesday, 8 April 2008 10:30 AM
To: 'Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List'
Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] robots 

Hi Rob,

I've attached the draft of a unit I wrote. This is fairly structured.
Version two is more open ended but incomplete. 

NXT is just the latest in a line of Lego Robotics systems. Also known as
the "Grey brick" replaces the "Yellow Brick"

I found it easiest to get a small team of keen students to build the
robots, prior to the Math Science classes using the assembled robots for
these activities. The final activity required the students to sell their
robots.

Regards,

Marcel

________________________________

From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Costello, Rob R
Sent: Tuesday, 8 April 2008 9:42 AM
To: Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] robots 

Would love any resources you could send Marcel - thanks 

Is NXT a dialect of Logo? 

Costello.rob.r at edumail.vic.gov.au 

And thanks to Bill for the Logo book resource - sounds promising 

________________________________

From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Marcel van
Otterdyk
Sent: Tuesday, 8 April 2008 9:32 AM
To: 'Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List'
Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] robots 

At Strathmore Secondary College we developed a Math, Science and
Technology unit using Lego NXT stuff. In 2006 I received funding through
Innovations and Excellence to purchase some kits. Kids really enjoyed
it. The NXT programming is very intuitive and kids largely teach
themselves. At present we are working with VSSEC and the autonomous
systems dept from the University of Sydney to further develop the units.
I can send you some material, still in draft form, if you wish.

Regards,

Marcel

________________________________

From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Costello, Rob R
Sent: Saturday, 5 April 2008 9:14 PM
To: Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: [Yr7-10it] robots 

Has anyone gone down this path; 

in general? 

Or for maths in particular?  

http://mindstorms.lego.com/

Rob 

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