My first post did not include many details about the robotics project I am working on here in Cape Town. Instead, I've reserved this entire post for just that! Perhaps it is best to start with a more detailed overview of the project, then briefly explain the rationale for doing this project.
Overview
I am developing and teaching a robotics course to help train students in systematic and careful problem-solving. The course contains two phases: learning and design. The learning phase is centered around the construction of a pre-designed robot. This experience will prepare students for the design phase, where they design and build robots of their own. The course as a whole will culminate in a public exhibition where the students will share the fruits of their hard work!
The currently planned course consists of 12 hour-long classes for the learning phase, followed by 12 hours of work time for the design phase and 1 hour for the exhibition. Students work in pairs, with one set of parts for each pair. In order to ensure that each pair receives sufficient instruction and guidance, the maximum class size should be around 10 students. At present, limited funds has brought us down to 8 students.
At the end of the course, I will be leaving behind the parts and detailed lecture notes. I am also training a teacher at Hyde Park to teach the course for the following terms.
Brief Rationale
Learning systematic and careful problem-solving is crucial to the future success of students everywhere. As they continue in their education they will be required not only to recall information, but also to apply their knowledge in a systematic and careful way to solve ever more challenging problems with confidence. Furthermore, if these students are to become leaders who usher in the brighter futures we hope for, they will be called on to tackle ever more complex issues with more serious consequences. This will require from them an even greater ability to work systematically through problems with careful attention to all of the involved complexities.
Robotics provides students an opportunity to learn systematic and careful problem-solving. Creating robots from individual parts will teach them to think systematically, as they learn to combine their knowledge of each part to predict and even design the overall behavior. Work with these robots also has a small margin for error – mistakes ranging from simple typos to more complex logic errors will cause the robot to malfunction or not function at all! This will teach the students to both think and work carefully, confident that each of their steps is correct. Furthermore, identifying and fixing their mistakes will teach them how to diagnose problems systematically and develop solutions that directly address the errors.
Robotics provides an engaging and exciting context to learn these problem-solving skills. Rather than learning these skills as theory applied to seemingly meaningless problems, students will see how these skills are crucial in the creative process of making a robot. Furthermore, the students get to see their efforts culminate in their robots sort of coming to life. This is incredibly exciting!
Overview
I am developing and teaching a robotics course to help train students in systematic and careful problem-solving. The course contains two phases: learning and design. The learning phase is centered around the construction of a pre-designed robot. This experience will prepare students for the design phase, where they design and build robots of their own. The course as a whole will culminate in a public exhibition where the students will share the fruits of their hard work!
The currently planned course consists of 12 hour-long classes for the learning phase, followed by 12 hours of work time for the design phase and 1 hour for the exhibition. Students work in pairs, with one set of parts for each pair. In order to ensure that each pair receives sufficient instruction and guidance, the maximum class size should be around 10 students. At present, limited funds has brought us down to 8 students.
At the end of the course, I will be leaving behind the parts and detailed lecture notes. I am also training a teacher at Hyde Park to teach the course for the following terms.
Brief Rationale
Learning systematic and careful problem-solving is crucial to the future success of students everywhere. As they continue in their education they will be required not only to recall information, but also to apply their knowledge in a systematic and careful way to solve ever more challenging problems with confidence. Furthermore, if these students are to become leaders who usher in the brighter futures we hope for, they will be called on to tackle ever more complex issues with more serious consequences. This will require from them an even greater ability to work systematically through problems with careful attention to all of the involved complexities.
Robotics provides students an opportunity to learn systematic and careful problem-solving. Creating robots from individual parts will teach them to think systematically, as they learn to combine their knowledge of each part to predict and even design the overall behavior. Work with these robots also has a small margin for error – mistakes ranging from simple typos to more complex logic errors will cause the robot to malfunction or not function at all! This will teach the students to both think and work carefully, confident that each of their steps is correct. Furthermore, identifying and fixing their mistakes will teach them how to diagnose problems systematically and develop solutions that directly address the errors.
Robotics provides an engaging and exciting context to learn these problem-solving skills. Rather than learning these skills as theory applied to seemingly meaningless problems, students will see how these skills are crucial in the creative process of making a robot. Furthermore, the students get to see their efforts culminate in their robots sort of coming to life. This is incredibly exciting!
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