Robotics Professional Development Class: Troubleshooting Scenarios and Problem-Solving Techniques

1. NXT-GOnline Professional DevelopmentClasses will begin at 3:30pm EDT

2. Slalom Challenge • How was it? • Line Tracking questions? • What problems did you encounter? • Slowed it down too far • Thin tape, robot overshoots • Fatter tape! • Don’t stretch out the electrical tape

3. Troubleshooting Scenario 3 • What is the student trying to do?

4. Troubleshooting Scenario 3 • What was wrong? (Use your marker) Doesn’t move past the line before turning Moves a set distance each time instead of Unlimited; “jams” the loop!

5. Troubleshooting Scenario 2 “It should go around the box to each black line, stopping whenever there’s an obstacle, then continuing after.” • What happened here? • Oops.

6. Troubleshooting Scenario 2 “It should go forward for one second, then turn until it sees the wall, but it doesn’t ever turn.” • Here’s the right version • Serendipity

7. What’s Wrong? • Misunderstandings occur at many levels • If you take the problem at face value... • This isn’t a “picked the wrong mode” problem • Many responses placed student misunderstanding on the level of behavior planning and selection • What is a good way to do planning?

8. Obstacle Course Prep • VIEW NOW: NVT Obstacle Course 1 • What is the first problem solving technique? • Analysis • Break down the problem into smaller pieces • What is the second problem solving technique? • Iterative Design • Build the solution around each piece in order • The secret to programming is not-programming • Failing to plan is… • … planning to fail

9. Analysis • NVT Obstacle Course 2-3 • Break the problem down into steps • Steps 1-5 match the stated objectives • Review your analysis • What did we find? • We missed some… • Add them in (2.5 and 3.5) • Work in Progress!

10. Iterative Design • NVT Obstacle Course 4-5 • Failed approaches • Everything at once • Fails why? • Everything in pieces • Fails why? • Iterative approach • Do one step • Test • Do next step; repeat

11. Solve the Problem • Complete the challenge • DON’T use steps 6-8 in the video! • Abbreviated Journal Assignment • Present (1 min) on one interesting problem you found and solved • Compressed version of multi-day class work session • Checkpoints • Each time you reach a whole-numbered objective, write the number of the objective in chat (private to me if you want) • If you get done early… • Formalize your presentation about the problem in your journal

12. Breakout Presentations • Breakout session • 2 groups • May need to mute/unmute yourself to get voice working after you join the breakout room • 1 minute limit per presenter Side note: Breakout sessions are not recorded by the WebEx software

13. Engineering in the Classroom • Project-based learning • Context • Teamwork • Problem solving • Time management

14. Engineering in the Classroom • Supports groups working at different paces • Checkpoints • Formative feedback for pacing • Mitigate off-course errors • Documentation (Journal + Presentation) • Summative and formative feedback • Reflective practice • Concrete progress • Every group can see and gauge its progress • Deadlines and performance are not arbitrary

15. What can you teach with robots? • Updates! • <add updates>

16. Choose your Challenge • NVT Challenges • Choose one Challenge for homework • Different skills, different focuses

17. Homework • Complete the Additional Challenge you picked • Document one interesting problem+solution from your chosen challenge • Post your solution and journal entry as a Reply to the problem in the HW5 area • Build the Gripper Arm • Building instruction link is in the FORUM

18. Closing Thoughts • Class activity: Homework Review • Troubleshooting revisited • Class activity: Problem Solving • Engineering concept: Analyzing a problem • Engineering concept: Iterative Design • Class activity: Engineering • Teacher concept: Engineering in the Classroom

19. Bonus: Types of Mistakes • Syntax • Mechanical structure of the program • Move Block: Motor C, unlimited, 75% power • Robot Semantics • Meanings of those commands • Turn on the robot’s left motor at 75% power • Context, Intent, and Planning • Higher level semantics • Effects in environmental context • Intended effects

20. Syntax Errors • Illegal formation of commands • Syntax mistakes are hard to make in NXT-G • Example: Disconnected icon

21. Robot-Semantic Errors • Mistakes about the meaning of a command • Example: Duration vs. Unlimited • Student does not realize program flow implications and uses Duration in a Forward until Touch behavior • Example: Reversed motors (L/R) • Student misinterprets Motor C as the right motor, and the robot turns the wrong way

22. Environment-Semantic(Context) Errors • Mistakes because of environmental constraints or conditions • Example: Light Sensor threshold • Student calculates threshold in morning, runs in afternoon • Example: Sharpness of line track • Student’s robot does not turn hard enough in a line track and the robot “loses” the line going around a curve

23. Program-Intent Mismatch Errors • Mistakes because student chooses an inappropriate programmed behavior for a desired robot effect • Example: Wrong way • Student tries to copy-paste a left-side line track, but takes a similar-looking right-side track instead and the robot goes the wrong way at a fork • Example: Wrong wait • Student tries to implement an obstacle-detection behavior using Wait Blocks

24. Problem-Semantic (Planning) Errors • Mistakes because student’s intended action is incorrect • Example: Wrong Turn • Student misreads the board and plans a left turn instead of a right turn • Example: Missing Step • Student wants to move two dark lines, but does not move clear of the first dark line before looking for the second