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Subject: 
Re: My First Classroom Use
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics.nxt
Date: 
Thu, 13 Jul 2006 19:32:29 GMT
Viewed: 
7501 times
  
I'll use this space as my blog on my initial classroom experience with the NXT.

Today, I had three pairs of boys (ages 10-11), building the arm, scorpion and
biped.  They had three hours from openning the boxes.  Two teams (scorpion and
biped) got to finish the base modules and tried to program them.

All the teams had to pull apart their models at some point and check against the
building instructions.  One team wished that they could have the instructions to
scale.  They're used to matching the actual parts by pressing them against the
drawing. I suppose this would be possible is we could print out the
constructopedia.  On the laptop, 1:1 scale would be difficult to achieve.

They also wished they could work on separate parts of the instructions.  I tried
to launch two sessions of the software, hoping they could switch between two
windows.  Unfortunately, only one session of NXT software is allowed on Windows
XP.  Maybe I can use separate logins.  But then it takes more time to switch
between users/sessions.

There was some difficulty connecting virgin parts together.  This would probably
ease itself with use.

Most of the challenges were overcome mainly by enthusiasm.  I'll capitalize on
this until I can develop a better "sales" pitch to the uninspired.

I have two girls in class.  They wouldn't touch the NXT.  Perhaps, when the
models are fully built and programmed, the girls might come forward.  Instead,
they built and raced RCX models and giggled when they fell apart.

To be continued tomorrow July 14, 2006.



Message has 3 Replies:
  Re: My First Classroom Use
 
(...) Huh. I always counted holes/studs, as most LEGO instructions are not at "true scale", are they? (...) Well, one nice thing about the content of the Mindstorms software is an *awful* lot of it is stored where you can get to it. For instance, (...) (18 years ago, 13-Jul-06, to lugnet.robotics.nxt)
  Re: My First Classroom Use
 
(...) Another 3 hours and "Spike" is complete. "AlphaRex" and "RoboArm T56" had to be torn apart and rebuilt when later modules showed there was something wrong with the base. Both are about halfway done. The AlphaRex team was quite frustrated as (...) (18 years ago, 14-Jul-06, to lugnet.robotics.nxt)
  Re: My First Classroom Use
 
(...) I find pins go into holes much easier if initially pushed at a slight angle, not more than about 5°. ROSCO (18 years ago, 14-Jul-06, to lugnet.robotics.nxt)

Message is in Reply To:
  My First Classroom Use
 
I'm currently teaching a Basic Programming and Pre-Robotics class for Saturday Academy. I've been using the RCX since it's invention. Today, I took a fully built NXT Tribot to class. First, I showed the class how to program a simple "go forward for (...) (18 years ago, 12-Jul-06, to lugnet.robotics.nxt)

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