Subject:
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Re: New Civil Engineer letter
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Sat, 7 Jul 2001 03:44:07 GMT
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Original-From:
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Steve Baker <sjbaker1@airmail.+StopSpam+net>
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Reply-To:
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SJBAKER1@spamcakeAIRMAIL.NET
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Viewed:
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1848 times
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Larry Pieniazek wrote:
>
> In lugnet.loc.uk, Simon Bennett writes:
>
> <snip>
>
> > I have now sent the letter. I didn't change it that much and it's still
> > very long but I wanted to get it out there before I got cold feet about
> > sending it at all!
>
> <snip>
>
> You rock. Very nicely done. I think I speak for a number of people when I
> say "thanks for doing this, well done!"
Yes - nicely said.
One difference that *is* significant from an educational standpoint (IMHO)
is the use of tools. Meccano really does require you to use a screwdriver
and spanner (aka wrench)...where Lego doesn't really require tools at all
(except maybe the brick separator). You might regard that as an advantage
*or* a disadvantage from an educational standpoint...I'm not sure which!
However, the way Lego eases a child gently through the 'stacking blocks'
phase through Duplo, Lego *bricks*, Technics and ultimately, Mindstorms is
unrivalled. There is no other system that can span from 1yr old to 99yrs+
with a single set of compatible components.
My kid was raised on Lego *and* Meccano *and* Lincoln Logs *and* Knex
*and* Construx *and* Girder-and-Panel *and* balsa-wood+glue *and* Anatomics
(you build dinosaur skeletons from a bunch of 'bones' that snap together
using ball-and-socket joints) *and* Wizzard Wandz *and* <some German system
that lets you build full-sized climbing frames from two foot long sections
of plastic pipework - and comes with a 1/10th scale version of all the parts
so you can plan your work on a more reasonable scale!>.
There have been *many* others.
At age 10, he is just starting in on pressure-treated-lumber-and-coach-bolts,
Linux, C++ programming and my wife's 1972 VW bug!
Lego is undoubtedly the most enduring and most flexible of those systems
- but they all have their place and to pick a *single* building system
for your kids would be to miss out on a wide range of experiences.
----------------------------- Steve Baker -------------------------------
HomeMail : <sjbaker1@airmail.net> WorkMail: <sjbaker@link.com>
HomePage : http://web2.airmail.net/sjbaker1
Projects : http://plib.sf.net http://tuxaqfh.sf.net http://tuxkart.sf.net
http://agtoys.sf.net http://prettypoly.sf.net
http://freeglut.sf.net http://toobular.sf.net
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