An Educational Robotics laboratory was organized for 102 students of theCognitive Psychology course, at the Arts and Humanities Faculty (University of Calabria), tostudy the cognitive strategies they adopted to create a quadruped robot with the LegoMindStorms kits. Students worked in groups to solve a common task related to building andprogramming the robot, able to move on four dynamically coordinated limbs, at differentspeeds. We analyzed the students’ reports, from which we grasped the strategies they adoptedto solve the assignment. Moreover, we discussed some common aspects that characterized theteamwork: the problem solving processes, the learning by doing in an enjoyable way, themotivation and the deep interest showed by the subjects in exploring new knowledge, despitetheir humanistic background. The experiment demonstrates that by combining Edutainmentwith Robotics it is possible to teach students scientific concepts through objects manipulation,which allows not only to learn with pleasure but also to acquire knowledge of other scientificfields.
Using Lego MindStorms in higher education: Cognitive strategies in programming a quadruped robot
Bilotta E;Gabriele L;PANTANO, Pietro Salvatore;SERVIDIO, Rocco Carmine
2010-01-01
Abstract
An Educational Robotics laboratory was organized for 102 students of theCognitive Psychology course, at the Arts and Humanities Faculty (University of Calabria), tostudy the cognitive strategies they adopted to create a quadruped robot with the LegoMindStorms kits. Students worked in groups to solve a common task related to building andprogramming the robot, able to move on four dynamically coordinated limbs, at differentspeeds. We analyzed the students’ reports, from which we grasped the strategies they adoptedto solve the assignment. Moreover, we discussed some common aspects that characterized theteamwork: the problem solving processes, the learning by doing in an enjoyable way, themotivation and the deep interest showed by the subjects in exploring new knowledge, despitetheir humanistic background. The experiment demonstrates that by combining Edutainmentwith Robotics it is possible to teach students scientific concepts through objects manipulation,which allows not only to learn with pleasure but also to acquire knowledge of other scientificfields.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
