Students’ Learning and Technology: MicroWorldsEX and Robotics

Students’ Learning and Technology: MicroWorldsEX and

Robotics

Davina Pruitt-Mentle

Educational Technology Outreach

College of Education

University of Maryland

Susan Einhorn Executive Vice President

LCSIwww.MicroWorlds.com

http://www.edtechoutreach.umd.edu/

http://www.education.umd.edu/

http://www.umd.edu/

http://www.microworlds.com/

MICCA 2004 MicroWorlds & Robotics Davina Pruitt-Mentle2

Audience Opening QuestionAudience Opening Question

• What does integrating technology in the curriculum mean to you?

• What potential does technology hold for the future of education?


Technology PD ErasTechnology PD Eras

• Basic Skills

– Word Processing

– Email

– Gradebooks

• More Advanced Skills

• Integrating technology skills, applications and activities


"Learning Paradigm" Shift: "Learning Paradigm" Shift: Constructivism Constructivism

• Technology has the potential to redefine and change teachers’ roles in the classroom.

• Under the right conditions, technology can foster a shift in the teacher’s role from one of "sage on the stage" to that of facilitator.

• By using technology, "[teachers] can go beyond the traditional information delivery mode where they are presenters of ready-made knowledge, and become facilitators of students’ learning" (OTA, 1988, p. 91).

• The potential for technology supported instructional change is significant

1. United States Congress Office of Technology Assessment (OTA, 1988, 1995) and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI, 1993)


Top Ten Teacher Technology Top Ten Teacher Technology Training DilemmasTraining Dilemmas

• Teach skills• Teach the applications

but not the underlying understanding

• Introduce a plethora of resources

• Are something new, but rarely different

• Teach “at” rather than “with and through” technology

• Focus on utilizing technology to teach the same “stuff” in the same or possibly slightly different way

Many PD activities/courses still:

The need is to understand new teaching and learning styles: Learning Paradigm Shift


ETO EffortsETO Efforts

• Electronic Tutorials and Resources

• After school technology enrichment programs

•Young Scholars Program

•Workshops

•Undergraduate Modules

•Graduate Level Courses

http://www.edtechoutreach.umd.edu/YSP2004.htm



Course OverviewCourse Overview

– Learner centered-constructivist teaching AND learning

• Interdisciplinary-crossing boundaries• Workforce skills• College or higher education skills• Along the way….increase the

science/math/technology pipeline and teacher pipeline

As taken from 2003 SLT-YSP


SyllabusSyllabus

• Objectives– Focus on inquiry and group based methods of learning;– Collaborate with peers to adapt/redesign problem

materials;– Experience problem based learning through active

engagement in an appropriate activity;• Know the elements of problem solving, including key

content identification, scientific literacy, habits of mind, and critical thinking and learning events involved in project development;

– Provide and accept feedback gracefully (to and from other participants and instructors);

– Be a reflective learner. As taken from 2003 SLT-YSP


Syllabus: Goals Syllabus: Goals

– understand, utilize and experience skills needed for the 21st century workforce and/or higher education opportunities

– explore and use a variety of technology/computer applications;

• use technology to explore and design multimedia presentations;

• design Logo environments (games, animated stories, and interactive multimedia presentations);

– build and program cybernetic devices to perform a specific task;

– keep a journal of reflections and experiences;– design and present an e-portfolio highlighting projects

and experiences.As taken from 2003 SLT YSP


Understanding The Learning Understanding The Learning Paradigm ShiftParadigm Shift

• Background on Constructivism – Scavenger

Hunt

– WebQuest

• Walk the Walk– Microworlds

See Scavenger Hunt Handout



MicroWorlds ProMicroWorlds Pro

See Handout


MicroWorlds ProMicroWorlds Pro

• Files are called Projects• Objects and text are displayed on pages• Can you find:

– Menu bar

– Toolbar

– Page

– Command Center

– Status Bar

– Procedures area

– Tabs


Some Basic CommandsSome Basic Commands

• fd (forward)

• rt (right)

• bk (back)

• lt (left)

• pd (pen down)

• pu (pen up)

• repeat

• setc (set color)

• setpensize

• cg (clear graphics)

Handout/Card


Some Basic ShapesSome Basic Shapes

• Hatch a “turtle”• pd• fd 50• rt 90• fd 50• rt 90• fd 50• rt 90• fd 50


What would this create? What would this create?

• pd• fd 50• rt 120• fd 50• rt 120• fd 50


Can you draw and program Can you draw and program these?these?

Write commands to draw each of these shapes.For each shape, how much does the turtle turn to draw each angle?


Short CutsShort Cuts

In the command center• fd 100• rt 90• fd 100• rt 90• fd 100• rt 90• fd 100• rt 90

Is the same as:• repeat 4 [fd 100 rt 90]


Converting to a ProcedureConverting to a Procedure

Once you know the commands you want-convert the command to a procedure

(On the Procedures Tab)

to square

repeat 4 [fd 100 rt 90]

end

Test it:

1. Create a button

2. Type the procedure in command center

3. On the turtle (object) edit command


You can draw the shapes in any size, You can draw the shapes in any size, thickness, or color.thickness, or color.

to colorsquare

setpensize 5

setc 15

repeat 4 [fd 100 rt 90]

end


Class Needs More Practice?Class Needs More Practice?

• For beginning work with animation, try make a face, animate me, race cars, bouncing off walls, or growing spider.For beginning work with a game, try obstacle course.For beginning work with textboxes, try animated story.

http://mia.openworldlearning.org/make_a_face/make_a_face.htm

http://mia.openworldlearning.org/animate_me/animate_me.htm

http://mia.openworldlearning.org/race_cars/race_cars.htm

http://mia.openworldlearning.org/bouncing_off_walls/bouncing_off_walls.htm

http://mia.openworldlearning.org/growing_spider/growing_spider.htm

http://mia.openworldlearning.org/obstacle_course/obstacle_course.htm

http://mia.openworldlearning.org/animated_story/animated_story.htm


MicroWorlds ExerciseMicroWorlds Exercise

Turtle Geometry and Teaching Turtles Words


MicroWorld ExamplesMicroWorld Examples

Visit some of the following to see what is possible:

• http://www.cattanach.org/microworlds/index.html (go to the bottom icon and click List Sites)

• http://www.mathcats.com/microworlds.html MathCats Interactive Math games and activities

• Tic-Tac-Toe http://www.thehunters.org/logo/• http://mia.openworldlearning.org/ Open World

Learning-go to Project Folders

http://www.cattanach.org/microworlds/index.html

http://www.mathcats.com/microworlds.html

http://www.thehunters.org/logo/

http://mia.openworldlearning.org/




An Animated StoryAn Animated Story

Walk through the creation of an

Animated Story

Student Work Examples

http://www.edtechoutreach.umd.edu/YoungScholars/studentwork.html


More With MicroWorlds More With MicroWorlds

Class Time

• Experiment and Play

• Try the tutorials (http://mia.openworldlearning.org/ ) Resources Activity Pages

• Brainstorm and/or start your animated story

• Games, Simulations, Mazes




http://www.microworlds.com/library/index.html


RobolabRobolab


For More InfoFor More Info

• Educational Technology Outreach– http://www.edtechoutreach.umd.edu/

• Ed Tech Outreach Young Scholars Program– http://www.edtechoutreach.umd.edu/YSP2004.htm

And See Handout

Susan Einhorn Executive Vice President

LCSIwww.MicroWorlds.com

Educational Technology OutreachEducational Technology OutreachCollege of EducationCollege of EducationDavina Pruitt-MentleDavina Pruitt-Mentle

(301) 405-8202(301) [email protected]@umail.umd.edu

http://www.edtechoutreach.umd.edu/http://www.edtechoutreach.umd.edu/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.edtechoutreach.umd.edu/

Documents

Students’ Learning and Technology: MicroWorldsEX and Robotics