This week sees a combination of technology and creativity; an area in which I am far more comfortable.
Jarvis (2015) suggests that learning should be both an active and interactive process. This can be achieved through children using technologies and working collaboratively to address and solve problems. This type of learning increases pupil engagement and encourages discussion and the sharing of ideas. Jarvis also notes that learning should be both memorable and relevant. The use of programmable toys allows for the creation of multiple scenarios which can be adapted to have a wide range of real-life relevance. Children’s eagerness to engage with programmable toys and the sense of achievement they gain from their successes make these tools particularly memorable. NCTE (2012) describes how the use of programmable toys is an ideal method of ensuring inclusivity in the classroom as these toys allow children with SEN/ASN to participate: an area of need identified by the Scottish Government (2016).
Janka (2008) identifies, in agreement with the Scottish Government, the developing need for children to establish competency in using digital technologies if they are to become successful contributors to the workforce. He acknowledges the concerns some educators have regarding children’s need to learn through interaction with their environment and proposes that programmable toys are a perfect choice as they are a tangible device which can be used to address problem-solving within the child’s physical world. They can also be applied across curricular areas and my choice for this week’s task was numeracy: “In the field of mathematical development, children should develop the ability to describe a simple journey and instruct the programmable toy in order to develop positional language and estimation.” Janka (2008, pg 13).
“Learning should be both an active and interactive process.”
Having seen Bee-Bot used in the classroom during my volunteer work I am familiar with what it does and how it can be used to enhance learning. In that specific context, the Bee-Bot was used to reinforce the children’s understanding of coordinates. Inspired by both the knowledge I gained from that experience and how much the children enjoyed interacting with their task I chose to take the elements of learning I had experience of and adapt them to create my own activity. I opted to make my task suitable for First Level and chose to focus on e&o TCH 1-15a and MNU 1-09a, keeping the following quote in mind: “Well constructed adventure games and simulations provide a wealth of opportunities for children to practise the skills of reasoning, hypothesis testing and decision making.” Whitebread (2006, p93).
- TCH 1-15a: “I can demonstrate a range of basic problem-solving skills by building simple programs to carry out a given task, using an appropriate language.”
- MNU 1-09a: “I can use Money to pay for items and work out how much change I should receive.”
“Chef Bee-Bot Goes Shopping”
As it is January, a time when the focus in Scottish schools turns sharply to Robert Burns, I decided I would incorporate a Scottish element to my plan. I decided to make my Bee-Bot game a shopping task whereby the participants are required to direct “Chef Bee-Bot” around a supermarket, collecting ingredients for Scottish recipes and then paying the required total for their shopping before leaving the supermarket. This combines the use of digital technology with physical interaction and allows for expansion through discussion into areas such as Health and Wellbeing and Sciences.
Chef Bee-Bot…
For the purposes of this task, an ordinary Bee-Bot programmable toy is accessorised with a chef’s hat (made from one strip of paper and a dried-out surface wipe!). Bee-Bot itself is very straightforward to use and children either pick up the process from teacher input or from observing peers and working collaboratively, as documented by Alison Lydon (2007). The ability to accessorise Bee-Bot in a number of ways adds an extra element of fun, increasing engagement and allowing for extension into other areas of the curriculum e.g. the expressive arts. In this context, EXA 1-03a “I can create and present work using the visual elements of line, shape, form. colour, tone, pattern and texture.” could be met through the exploration of Tartan leading to making Tartan Bee-Bot shell “kilts” for Chef Bee-Bot.
The game mat…
Designed as a basic blank grid of squares the mat can be re-used and adapted to any potential variation of a Bee-Bot task. The mat can be accessorised using 2D or 3D objects dependent on the aims and theme of the task and the specific needs of the users. The blank area at the front of the mat allows for attaching basic instructions and placement of shared objects.
The market stalls…
In this instance, the mat is accessorised with stalls with varying coloured rooves. Each stall represents an area of a standard supermarket e.g. “Fruit”, “Diary”, “Meat” etc. Each stall contains colour co-ordinated cards depicting the items which may be required. Each laminated card can be notated with a price for each separate item. Lamination means the price marked on any card may be adjusted according to the needs of the participants. The Stalls have interchangeable front panels, allowing their purpose to be re-designated simply by changing the sign. The 3D nature of the stalls adds an element of depth perception and interest to the game board and they can be positioned in any arrangement allowing the game to be made easier or more complex as required. The “self-service checkout” element as the final stage of the game gives a further interactive dimension as the children are required to physically deposit the correct amount of money into the box, as they would in a real-life supermarket shopping scenario.
Rules of the game…
Each player selects one recipe card. Each recipe card lists the ingredients Chef Bee-Bot requires to collect. The player must plan their route around the game mat to collect all the required ingredients. Their final stop should be at the self-service check-out where the player deposits the total sum of their shopping. Players can plan their route and perform calculations using the laminated planning sheets and a whiteboard pen. A visual reminder of the types and different values of coins is included to assist players with the final step of the game. The game allows for players to work either solo or collaboratively in teams.
So, how did it go?
In conclusion…
This week’s task was thoroughly enjoyable and a real confidence booster. It was heartening to be able to combine my previous experiences with my personal strengths to produce a whole resource which can be utilised and adapted in my future practice. I was pleased with how positively my finished item was received by my peers but on reflection, I feel there are adaptations I could make to improve the experience: the recipe cards should include a picture of each separate item to allow those with weaker reading skills to participate equally. I also feel it would be useful to include a reminder to clear Chef Bee-Bot’s memory at the end of each turn, as this is identified as a problem in use by both Janka (2008) and in my previous experience in the classroom. Seeing the ways in which the activity could be expanded to encompass an entire topic of study was a very useful and helpful insight into the process behind lesson planning.
All in all, a great experience, however, as the Bee-Bot toy is designed to be used by Early and First Level children perhaps I shouldn’t be too pleased!
And thinking back…
Working with Bee-Bot reminded me of my own childhood where we played with a very similar technology: Big Track. Having used exactly the same basic programming principles in the 1980s as are required to use Bee-Bot makes me realise that coding is neither the new technology I think it to be or a new experience for me. Perhaps why I don’t find it so daunting?
References
- Education Scotland (2019) Curriculum for Excellence. [Online] Available: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/All-experiencesoutcomes18.pdf [Accessed: 18 January 2019].
- Janka, P. (2008) Using a Programmable Toy at Preschool Age: Why and How? [Online] Available: http://www.terecop.eu/downloads/simbar2008/pekarova.pdf [Accessed: 18th January 2019].
- Jarvis, M. (2015) Brilliant Ideas for Using ICT in the Classroom: A very practical guide for teachers and lecturers. Oxon: Routledge.
- Lydon, A. (2007) Let’s Go with Bee-Bot: Using your Bee-Bot across the curriculum. Kirkby: TTS Group Ltd.
- NCTE (National Centre for Technology in Education) (2012) NCTE Floor Robots – Focus on Literacy and Numeracy. [Online] Available: http://www.ncte.ie/media/NCTE_Floor_robots_focus__on_literacy_numeracy_primary_12-06.pdf [Accessed: 18th January 2019]
- Scottish Government (2016) Enhancing Learning and Teaching Through the Use of Digital Technology: A Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy for Scotland. Edinburgh: Scottish Government [Online] Available: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00505855.pdf [Accessed: 18th January 2019]
- Whitebread, D. (2006) Creativity, problem-solving and playful uses of technology: games and simulations in the early years. In: Hayes, M. and Whitebread, D. (eds) ICT in the Early Years. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
