Lego Robotics Proposal
Spring 2006 - funded via Tech Prep
Overview:
Students will develop a sense of community while working collaboratively to solve a complex technology-based problem. Each group of three participants will construct and program a LEGO ‘robot’ while being conscious of their own learning process and documenting their team’s construction of knowledge. Each team will publish the learning reflections and the history of their project in a multi-media website.
Objectives:
- Hands-on introduction to basic programming concepts for both college level and high school students;
- Encourage creative thinking, problem solving, troubleshooting, and reflective learning skills;
- Generate interest and enthusiasm for technology in general and Cerro Coso computer science programs specifically;
- Highly visible marketing and recruiting tool for the College.
Tasks:
- Build a LEGO construction designed to meet the requirements of the specifications provided to each team.
- Write a program in Yellowbrick Logo to control the LEGO invention.
- Test, debug and enhance the construction and the program as necessary.
- Record key aspects of the project development through still photos, video and personal learning journals.
- Archive notes, sketches and thoughts regarding the project.
- Think of the powerful ideas and curricular concepts explored during the development of the project.
- Create and publish a web site containing a history of the project’s evolution, personal learning reflections of each teammate, thoughts on the collaborative process, links to related resources and anything else that will tell the story of your team’s learning process. Video clips, photos, sound and graphics may be used to help tell the story.
Applications:
Robotics sets will be used in the CSCI 101 course to give a hands-on introduction to programming concepts. They will also be used in outreach activities for local high school and middle school students to introduce them to computer science courses at the college. Possible venues for use would be Preview Day, a “technology night” at the high school, as well as a summer and winter intercession “College for Kids” Tech Camp. There is additional interest in creating a local robotics club, with sections for middle school, high school, and college aged kids.
Required materials:
| W991234 Team Challenge - Getting Started Pack | 1 | $2575 (ea) |
| W900098 LEGO 4 Sensor Pack | 2 | $75 (ea) |
| W979709 RCX Programmable Brick | 4 | $129 (ea) |
| Merchandise Total: | $ 3241.00 |
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| Shipping Total: | $64.82 |
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| State Tax: | $234.97 |
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| Total: | $3,540.79 |
The Getting Started Pack includes 12 Team Challenge sets, sufficient for 24-26 students to use, as well as a site license for the Robolab programming software. Purchasing extra sensors and bricks allows us to extend the starter packs to include additional students as well as providing backup in the event of loss or breakage. Incidental costs would include batteries, video camera tapes, and CDs.
