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Unfortunately, it seems that TLC doesn't have a clear idea of what to do
with Mindstorms in general. Their support for the whole line has been less
than full - note the failure to update software for their cameras beyond Win98.
I've been using the full line of sets - Microscout, Scout and RIS - to teach
robotics at the late elementary/early middle school level. These enrichment
classes supplement a robotics section in the 7th grade tech class. I also
use the DACTA sets to teach a machines class - also very popular.
These sets provide a great introduction to robotics but it has taken some
effort to accummulate a large amount of supplemental materials - think
Technic wheels, beams, plates, extra gears, motors, etc.
This whole line has great possibilities, but TLC has limited its appeal by
restricting DACTA to the RIS sets and making it difficult and expensive to
accummulate large amounts of parts. The Microscout and Scout sets have been
VERY popular in getting kids interested in basic construction techniques
before confronting them with major programming problems.
FTR
I've provided our local school with 10 Scout (RDS) sets, as well as 18
MicroScout sets (9 Droid/9 Dark Side) to supplement their RIS sets.
For my classes I use (in sets):
12 RIS
20 Scouts
30 Microscouts (split evenly with 10 Droid, 10 Dark Side and 10 used in
motorized vehicle construction kits)
It took a few years to accummulate these resources and - despite careful
bargain shopping - substantial expenditures (After 10 years I may actually
earn enough teaching these classes to finally pay for the materials). Kids
LOVE these classes and revel in having a large assortment of parts to work
with. I would have killed to have these sets as a kid - even while in college.
I've posted on this topic in the past and TLC's whole approach to this line
but I get the feeling that the whole Mindstorms line is something Lego just
doesn't know what to do with. I see parallels to Xerox and PARC - their
Palo Alto Research Center. They came up with great stuff but didn't know
what to do with it. Instead of responding to a fan base requesting a
greater range of sensors and such, TLC dumbs down to Spybotics (OK I
suppose, but my kids are the target audience and they're fine with the more
complex sets).
Just my 2 cents
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Save the RIS!
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| (...) Didn't they sign some kind of a deal with Microsoft about that? I kinda had a memory that it was Microsoft's responsibility....but maybe not. ---...--- Steve Baker ---...--- HomeEmail: <sjbaker1@airmail.net> WorkEmail: <sjbaker@link.com> (...) (22 years ago, 1-Feb-03, to lugnet.robotics)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Save the RIS!
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| (...) This may be a childish and stupid idea, but given the present news and rumors on how the RIS system is heading, I'd like to see how many RIS & RCX enthusiasts there are. Maybe if there are enough of us out there, we could sway LEGOs mind from (...) (22 years ago, 1-Feb-03, to lugnet.robotics, lugnet.robotics.rcx)
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