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Lego Robotics to teach Team Building Skills. Carlotta Eaton, NRCC Shawn Lupoli, NRCC & RU Alicia Gutschow, BRCC. Session Description. NRCC & BRCC have incorporated team-based interactive activities Utilize Lego Mindstorm Robotics Retention booster Team building experience
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Lego Robotics to teach Team Building Skills Carlotta Eaton, NRCCShawn Lupoli, NRCC & RUAlicia Gutschow, BRCC
Session Description • NRCC & BRCC have incorporated team-based interactive activities • Utilize Lego Mindstorm Robotics • Retention booster • Team building experience • Course drop out rates from 50% down to 10% Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
Agenda • Who? Carlotta, Shawn & Alicia • What? What are the problems in an introductory CS class? • Why? Why use Lego Mindstorms? • How? How do I start with Legos? • Results? Teamwork, Retention Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
Who? • Carlotta Eaton, CS & IT at NRCC • Shawn Lupoli, IT at NRCC & CS at RU • Alicia Gutschow, IT at BRCC Alicia pioneered Legos at BRCC Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
Partially Funded by … • NSF Grant #0402567 VCCS Creating Pathways II for IT Professionals • VCCS Professional Grant Creamer, Coveny, Eaton
What are the problems? • Intro to CS or programming class • 50% dropout rate • Area high school dropped all programming classes because no matching SOL Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
Why use Mindstorms? See http://mindstorms.lego.com/?domainredir=www.mindstorms.com Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
Why use Mindstorms? • Makes programming less abstract • Students can see a decision or a loop • Students work in teams Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
How do I start? • Lego Products • Mindstorm software • Computers • Table or Floor Space • Lots of Batteries Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
How do I Start?Mindstorms Software • Site License Agreement • RoboLab software Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
How do I Start?Computers Computer built from Legos Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
How do I start?RCX Programmable Lego Brick • Serves as the brain of the Lego Mindstorms sets. Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
How do I start?Infrared Transmitter with USB Cable • Connects to the computer • Establishes wireless link between RCX brick and computer Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
How do I start?Technology Resource Set • Technically oriented brick set • Good supplement to Mindstorms sets • 1110 pieces Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
How do I Start?All in one Set Robo Technology Setwith USB Transmitter • Get basics in a set • RCX brick • USB transmitter • Picture book • Sensors, motors • Lego Bricks Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
CSC 200 Lego Labs • NRCC class • Labs created by Shawn Lupoli • Labs demonstrate CS programming concepts • Seewww.nr.edu/csc200 Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
Results • CSC 200 dropout rate declined from 50% to 10% • Students work together in teams • Students form friendships and support group • Students take CSC 200 prior to a programming language such as VB or Java • Also reduced dropout rate in follow-on programming classes such as VB or Java Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
Resources www.lego.com/education/ Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
More Resources • CSC 200 at NRCCwww.nr.edu/csc200/labs/lab3-lego-start.html • Tufts Universitywww.ceeo.tufts.edu/ • National Instrumentswww.ni.com/company/robolab.htm • First Lego Leaguewww.usfirst.org/jrobtcs/flego.htm Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
Mindstorms Support • LEGO Education will continue to support the existing platform until the end of 2009 • Mindstorms NXT - Next generation will launch August 2006 • See http://www.lego.com/ Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
Support: Teacher Guides • Teacher guides available for elementary & middle school students Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
Support: Online Activity Bank • Web Site for K-12 Activities • http://www1.lego.com/education/preschool/default.asp?l2id=1_2&pagename=sub_ab_1&locale=2057 Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
Summary • Utilize Lego Mindstorm Robotics • Team building experience • Interactive activities • Retention booster • Course drop out rates declined from 50% down to 10% • Follow-on programming classes drop out rate very low Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
Contact Information Alicia Gutschow Assistant Professor of IT & CSC Blue Ridge Community College (540) 234-9261 x2334 gutschowA@brcc.eduwww1.brcc.edu/gutschow/ Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
Contact Information Carlotta Eaton Professor of IT & CS New River Community College Dublin, VA 24084 (540) 674-3600 x4250 nreatoc@nr.edu www.nr.edu/eaton Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
Contact Information Shawn Lupoli Adjunct Instructor New River Community College & Radford University (540) 831-5797 slupoli@radford.edu Eaton, Lupoli, Gutschow
Q & A Thanks for coming!