Tuesday 24th January 2017
Programming/Coding 1
Image 1 = Bee-bot Mat (showing size of squares)
This week was mainly focused on using programmable toys such as the ‘Bee-bot’. We also began the lesson by finishing of our glow blogs: which I am increasingly becoming better at and becoming more familiar with what widgets and tiles this program has to offer.
The main intention of using programmable toys such as the Bee-bot was to make a classroom lesson more fun and interactive. I was extremely surprised to find how many lessons can be used with the ‘Bee-bot’. This can involve using manufactured mats or making up your own. I will attach an image of the size of a square and what a mat looks like. You can create anything you want as long as you keep the squares the same so that the programmable ‘Bee-bot’ can move about correctly. (see images attached below).
However, as Loveless A. pointed out there can be a real disadvantage of using technology due to confidence issues in teachers: ” currently constraint by a number of factors: her own confidence and competence in using fast-changing technologies; the access to ICT resources within her school at times and in spaces which were useful…” (Loveless. A and Dore B. p4, 2002)
We were then given the iPads to see the difference of physically using a programmable toy in person and using it digitally. Both were very good at getting children to engage with different language and the skills of giving and setting instructions. The iPad app was good for individual work and getting children to think on their own, to see if they understood what key actions and language would make the Bee-bot do what they wanted it to do. The iPad was also good for a quick; small task as the maps and functions were already set up. The tasks were simple and clear. This would save me time or the teacher’s time on having to physically draw or get out resources such as the mats for the Bee-bots in front of them. However, the big Bee-bots that children could physically move also have a lot of strengths. The one thing they did was, increase communication with one another. It would get the children talking and discussing with the use of language what they wanted the Bee-bot to do. It would encourage the children to work with one another and getting along as a group. It also got me and would get the children to be more imaginative. We had the option to make our own Bee-bot square which was very fun and also brought a bit of art skills as I had to physically draw what I wanted, the same would work for the children.
This brings me onto the next part of the tutorial where we were asked to either take an already made Bee-bot mat or and make our own. However, it had to be some sort of lesson that covered a digital technologies Curriculum for Excellence outcome and either a maths and/or literacy and/or science outcome. My fellow student and I decided to be imaginative and make our own Bee-bot lesson focusing on literacy/mathematics and technology.
We chose our outcomes to be:
- I am developing problem-solving strategies, navigation and co-ordination skills, as I play and learn with electronic games, remote control or programmable toys TCH 0-09a / TCH 1-09a.
- In movement, games, and using technology I can use simple directions and describe positions MTH 0-17.
- As I listen and take part in conversations and discussions, I discover new words and phrases which I use to help me express my ideas, thoughts and feelings LIT 0-10a.
We then focused on the creation. The reason we chose literacy was we had previously tried a maths activity in week 1 so we decided to widen our horizons and choose a literacy one.
The book we chose to work with was ‘Whoosh Around The Mulberry Bush’ by Jan Ormerod in 2007. We took this book and decided to make each square of the Bee-bot mat a Picture from each story in the book. This would allow the children to listen to the story but also visually see what was happening in the story. The Bee-bot toy allowed them to program the toy and physically follow what was happening which, would make it more interesting. I have attached our creation at the bottom of this blog so that you can see what we made in just a few hours! We also included words on the squares when we had finished. The teacher could read the words aloud to allow the children to see what words went with what pictures, both in written form and by hearing them in the story. Thus, improving and widening the children’s known and apparent vocabulary.
We then gave a small presentation at the end to the class on what: our outcomes; lesson and ideas were with using bee-bot. The different perspectives and ideas I got from all my other classmates were very intriguing to me. Everyone had very interesting and very creative ideas. I got to learn not only one way to make bee-bot into a normal lesson but several. This week was excellent and I have gained a lot of knowledge and ideas I can take into the classroom. I feel more creatively minded due to this class. This is the one thing I need to improve upon is, thinking of creative and inventive ways of making a lesson fun and interactive for the children. This workshop has helped get the ball rolling and has begun the journey on how to make lessons fun for the learners using different ways of technology.
Image 2 = Bee-bot Mat we invented
©Mr C Ewing and Mr S McCrone (2017)
Until Next Day,
Christopher
References:
Scottish Government (2009) Curriculum for Excellence: Experience and Outcomes. [Online] Available:https://www.education.gov.scot/Documents/All-experiences-outcomes_.pdf [Accessed: 24 January 2017]
Loveless A. and Dore B. (2002) ICT in the Primary School. Graphicraft, Hong Kong: Biddles Limited, Guildford and Kings Lynn
