In week 2 of Digital Technologies, we were looked at the concept of programmable toys and in particular we focused on the Bee-Bot. I had some knowledge of the Bee-Bot from when we previously looked at it in semester 1 in our Literacy for Understanding unit. The purpose of today’s assessment task was to create a theme and make links to numeracy using the Bee-Bot. In addition to this, we also had to consider the Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes that would relate to our task. I was excited at the prospect of creating an activity using the Bee-Bot. Before we started creating our activity, we watched some support videos to convey how children were responding to the Bee-Bot and how it can be tailored to suit any age through primary school. In our group, we came up with a game where we had a board with squares which were numbered from 1-12. We created flashcards with various addition and subtraction questions which were worded differently. These were split into two categories. One category had questions that were basic questions, which were worth one point. The other category had slightly harder questions for children who were more able and they were worth two points each. The aim of the game is to answer the questions and move the Bee-Bot to the correct position by programming it. The person who reaches a total of 5 points first wins the game. This activity was tailored to the needs of the early level. However, by changing the questions on the flashcards, it could be used for first and second level too. It is a great activity that is easily adaptable to the topic as well as the age range. I found the use of the Bee-Bot quite effective and is something I will keep in mind for my teaching career.
There are many benefits of using the Bee-Bot in the classroom. According to Lydon (2008), children are interacting with technology every day and she discovered that nursery children have improved their problem solving, literacy, numeracy and thinking skills whilst using programmable toys. The Bee-Bot is said to increase concentration levels, the attention span of children and can enhance their engagement in the activity (Lydon, 2008). Another benefit of the Bee-Bot is that children gain independence. Lydon (2008,p.2) claimed that “twelve children out of twenty-eight were able to use the Bee-Bot without any adult help after the initial instructions.” The children are able to quickly and intuitively work out how the Bee-Bot works and this is a useful tool for them. It is very simple and effective. Janka (2008) states that “the curriculum introduces programmable toys as a good example for developing knowledge and understanding of the contemporary world.” In addition to this, the Bee-Bot can also improve other areas of the Curriculum including social science subjects such as history, geography, science and religious education (Janka,2008). I think it is a useful resource and can be tailored to suit all subjects and all ages. The National Centre for Technology (2012, p.1) also states that “[Floor robots in the classroom] help with the development of skills such as a logical sequencing, measuring, comparing lengths, space orientation, and expressing concepts in words.”
Links to Curriculum for Excellence:
“I use practical materials and can ‘count on and back’ to help me to understand addition and subtraction, recording my ideas and solutions in different ways.” MNU 0-03a
“I can use addition, subtraction, multiplication and division when solving problems, making best use of the mental strategies and written skills I have developed.” MNU 1-03a (Education Scotland, 2004)
“I can explore and experiment with digital technologies and can use what I learn to support and enhance my learning in different contexts.” TCH 1-01a
“I can develop a sequence of instructions and run them using programmable devices or equivalent.” TCH 0-15a
(Education Scotland, 2016)
Overall, many professionals agree that programmable toys definitely have a positive impact on the child’s learning. After trialling out our Bee-Bot activity today, I can understand and visualise how effective this would be in classrooms. Technology is advancing in our society and I think it is vital as a teacher, that we keep up with technology and use it to our advantage. Programmable toys cover various experiences and outcomes in the Curriculum for Excellence and is an excellent resource for teachers.
References
Education Scotland (2004). Curriculum for Excellence: Numeracy and Mathematics. Experience and Outcomes. [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/scottish-education-system/policy-for-scottish-education/policy-drivers/cfe-(building-from-the-statement-appendix-incl-btc1-5)/Experiences%20and%20outcomes [Accessed: 16th January 2018]
Education Scotland (2016) Curriculum for Excellence: Technologies. Experiences and Outcomes. [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/Technologies-es-os.pdf [Accessed: 16th January 2018]
ICTopus Article (2008) Sharing Good Practice: Robots in Early Education by Alison Lydon. [Online] Available: https://oponoa-programmeertalen.wikispaces.com/file/view/BeeBot_article.pdf [Accessed: 16th January 2018]
Janka, P. (2008) Using a Programmable Toy at Preschool Age: Why and How? [Online] Available: http://www.terecop.eu/downloads/simbar2008/pekarova.pdf [Access: 16th January 2018]
NCTE (National centre for Technology in Education) (2012) NCTE Floor Robots – Focus on Literacy & Numeracy. [Online] Available: http://www.ncte.ie/media/NCTE_Floor_robots_focus_on_literacy_numeracy_primary_12-06.pdf [Accessed: 16th January 2018]
