Subject:
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Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Thu, 2 Sep 2004 06:12:51 GMT
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Viewed:
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2338 times
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Harold Jarvie wrote:
> > There are a few differences--Commodore computers became cheaper to make after a
> > while, and there was stiff competition from Atari, TRS-80 and Apple--the RCX has
> > no such competition. Whether the RCX is cheaper to make today than it was when
> > it first came out, I'd imagine but I do not know.
>
>
> I'n my kids schools they don't want to know about lego because of the cost.
> They say picaxe is more suitable cause its cheaper and scaleable. The kids make
> structural components themselves in other areas of the technology curriculum
> like woodwork. Not as flash ot tech looking but they do the same learning for
> way less money.... or so the argument goes
>
> Harold
Although I won't argue that LEGO is probably one of the more expensive
avenues into hobbyist robotics that one is liable to find, the key
advantage to using LEGO for robotics is the ease with which one can
prototype an idea, and take it from concept to working with virtually no
effort. And, of course, if the concept turns out to be a dud, then
nothing is really lost... the pieces can be taken apart and a new
concept can be tried immediately. In fact, instead of losing anything,
the person actually gains knowledge instead. Building with LEGO
encourages experimentation and discovery, without the complexity of
using machining shop tools or the fear of wasting materials because of a
less than ideal design the first time around. Nothing else even comes
close to achieving this the way LEGO does. Even a significant number of
adults hold themselves back because of fear of failure, how much more
are young children impeded in their creativity and problem solving
potential simply because there is an ever-present fear of "doing it
wrong"? LEGO takes that fear away, completely. Now while your kids'
school has every right to choose other systems over LEGO for its own
reasons, I can't say I think they made the right choice. If education
isn't about learning through the very sort of experimentation and
discovery that LEGO inherently encourages, then I don't know what is. I
would hope you might share this with them.
>> Mark
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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| (...) I'n my kids schools they don't want to know about lego because of the cost. They say picaxe is more suitable cause its cheaper and scaleable. The kids make structural components themselves in other areas of the technology curriculum like (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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