Fred
Martin's article "The Art of LEGO Design" is a selection of structural
ideas and techniues or, as Martin calles them, "clichés".
This explores the relationship of the width, length and height
of the LEGO brick, spacing and use of gears and gear trains,
bracing and more.
"Davis
Creek Elementary has been building Robots with LEGO elements and
the RCX Intelligent Brick and programming them with RoboLab software.
Programs are designed and then downloaded through an infrared tower
to the RCX. "
LDAPS:
Lego Design and Programming System from NASA
"We
are dedicated to introducing Engineering into K-14 education. Engineering
and it's ways of thinking and knowing are seriously lacking in public
education. Engineering is involved whether a student is taking apart
an everyday object to figure out how it works, or designing an experiment
to test a hypothesis. We, therefore, introduce engineering both
for its own merit and as a motivator for learning math and science.
By taking advantage of a child's tendency to build and create, we
have combined LEGO Dacta building blocks with engineering challenges in our methodology
as we develop curricula, and hardware and software extensions to
enhance learning."
"The
Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab aims to re-invent
learning and education in a digital society. We develop new technologies
that, in the spirit of the blocks and fingerpaint of kindergarten,
expand the range of what people design and create -- and what they
learn in the process. Our ultimate goal is a world of playfully
creative people, who are constantly inventing new possibilities
for themselves and their communities. "
"The
new ROBOLAB System prepares girls and boys of all ages for careers
in engineering and science with excitement and enthusiasm. With
the ROBOLAB System students will learn about today's world of robotics,
confined only by their imaginations. "
Robolab
Tuft's University
"The
Center for Engineering Educational Outreach at Tufts University
is dedicated to bringing engineering into the K-12 classroom. Using
the model of engineering design projects, the center coordinates
engineering and education experts with teachers to design curricula
based on engineering programs. More than 100 teachers in schools
across the U.S. and abroad have worked with the center to generate
curricula, test new teaching strategies, and investigate how kids
learn. This approach has had great success in integrating math,
science, and reading and writing skills. Girls and boys, parents,
and teachers have all been enthusiastic participants. "
"to
inspire students, create learning opportunities, and enlighten inquistive
minds"
Robotics
Resources from J. Fuller
Jim
Fuller provides numerous suggestions for teachers working with robotics.
He has developed a Robotics Kit for teachers and students who are
looking for cheaper alternatives to the commercially available kits.
Although he does not make these plans available through his website,
you can email him to obtain it.
"What
is the Robotics
Kit? -The Robotics Kit is the culmination of years of work and
experimentation. In the past, schools have been offered site rights
to the information needed to construct Real World interfaces for
IBM Compatibles and all of the associated reference texts and software,
but not the actual hardware. By building your own interfaces you
could save THOUSANDS over commercial alternatives. The problem was
that while most Computing teachers were happy enough to get involved
with the programming and application side, many were hesitant to
do the required 'hands-on' soldering. If you are one of those people
who would love to get your students involved with inexpensive interfacing
(eg for Robotics and the new Year 12 Industry Information Technology),
but want a fully assembled and tested interface, this is for you
..."
Robotics
was designed to introduce the science behind the design and operation
of robots. After interacting with the exhibit, you will be able
to