Transcript Lego Robotics to teach Team Building Skills Carlotta Eaton, NRCC Shawn Lupoli, NRCC & RU Alicia Gutschow, BRCC.

Lego Robotics to teach
Team Building Skills
Carlotta Eaton, NRCC
Shawn Lupoli, NRCC & RU
Alicia Gutschow, BRCC
Session Description
• NRCC & BRCC have incorporated
team-based interactive activities
• Utilize Lego Mindstorm Robotics
• Retention booster
• Team building experience
• Course drop out rates from 50%
down to 10%
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Agenda
• Who? Carlotta, Shawn & Alicia
• What? What are the problems in an
introductory CS class?
• Why? Why use Lego Mindstorms?
• How? How do I start with Legos?
• Results? Teamwork, Retention
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Who?
• Carlotta Eaton, CS & IT at NRCC
• Shawn Lupoli, IT at NRCC & CS at RU
• Alicia Gutschow, IT at BRCC
Alicia pioneered Legos at BRCC
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Partially Funded by …
• NSF Grant #0402567
VCCS Creating Pathways II
for IT Professionals
• VCCS Professional Grant
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What are the problems?
• Intro to CS or
programming class
• 50% dropout rate
• Area high school dropped
all programming classes
because no matching SOL
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Why use Mindstorms?
See http://mindstorms.lego.com/
?domainredir=www.mindstorms.com
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Why use Mindstorms?
• Makes programming
less abstract
• Students can see a
decision or a loop
• Students work in
teams
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How do I start?
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Lego Products
Mindstorm software
Computers
Table or Floor Space
Lots of Batteries
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How do I Start?
Mindstorms Software
• Site License
Agreement
• RoboLab
software
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How do I Start?
Computers
Computer built from Legos
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How do I start?
RCX Programmable Lego Brick
• Serves as the
brain of the Lego
Mindstorms sets.
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How do I start?
Infrared Transmitter with USB Cable
• Connects to the
computer
• Establishes
wireless link
between RCX brick
and computer
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How do I start?
Technology Resource Set
• Technically oriented
brick set
• Good supplement to
Mindstorms sets
• 1110 pieces
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How do I Start?
All in one Set
Robo Technology Set
with USB
Transmitter
• Get basics in a set
• RCX brick
• USB transmitter
• Picture book
• Sensors, motors
• Lego Bricks
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CSC 200 Lego Labs
• NRCC class
• Labs created by Shawn
Lupoli
• Labs demonstrate CS
programming concepts
• See
www.nr.edu/csc200
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Results
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CSC 200 dropout rate declined from 50% to 10%
Students work together in teams
Students form friendships and support group
Students take CSC 200 prior to a programming
language such as VB or Java
• Also reduced dropout rate in follow-on
programming classes such as VB or Java
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Resources
www.lego.com/education/
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More Resources
• CSC 200 at NRCC
www.nr.edu/csc200/labs/lab3-lego-start.html
• Tufts University
www.ceeo.tufts.edu/
• National Instruments
www.ni.com/company/robolab.htm
• First Lego League
www.usfirst.org/jrobtcs/flego.htm
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Mindstorms Support
• LEGO Education will continue to
support the existing platform until
the end of 2009
• Mindstorms NXT - Next generation
will launch August 2006
• See http://www.lego.com/
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Support: Teacher Guides
• Teacher
guides
available for
elementary &
middle
school
students
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Support:
Online Activity Bank
• Web Site for K-12 Activities
• http://www1.lego.com/education/preschool
/default.asp?l2id=1_2&pagename=sub_ab_
1&locale=2057
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Summary
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•
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•
•
Utilize Lego Mindstorm Robotics
Team building experience
Interactive activities
Retention booster
Course drop out rates declined from 50%
down to 10%
• Follow-on programming classes drop out
rate very low
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Contact Information
Alicia Gutschow
Assistant Professor of IT & CSC
Blue Ridge Community College
(540) 234-9261 x2334
[email protected]
www1.brcc.edu/gutschow/
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Contact Information
Carlotta Eaton
Professor of IT & CS
New River Community College
Dublin, VA 24084
(540) 674-3600 x4250
[email protected]
www.nr.edu/eaton
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Contact Information
Shawn Lupoli
Adjunct Instructor
New River Community College &
Radford University
(540) 831-5797
[email protected]
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Q&A
Thanks for coming!