Copyright 2002, Tony Gauvin, UMFK Powerful Ideas Constructivist Educational Techniques in Computer Programming Using MSWLogo© Copyright 2002, Tony Gauvin, UMFK

Introduction Tony Gauvin, Assistant Professor of E-Commerce, UMFK Developed an Interest in MSWLogo as a tool for exploration of advanced Computer Science Topics while a Graduate Student at UM Based on Draft copy of Discrete Logo written by Dr. George Markowsky, Chair, Computer Science Department, UM

What Is Logo? Logo is both an educational Philosophy and a programming language based on Constructivism Constructivism views knowledge as being created by learners in their own minds through interaction with other people and the world around them. This theory is most closely associated with Jean Piaget, the Swiss psychologist, who spent decades studying and documenting the learning processes of young children.

A Brief History of Logo Seymour Papert and Marvin Minsky co-founded MIT’s Artificial Intelligence Lab in mid ’60s Papert and others developed the Logo programming language in 1967 In 1980 Papert published Mindstorms

Logo Basics Turtle(s) moving in a world controlled by the user Turtle(s) act on and react to the World controlled by the User The only data structure is a list (LISP heritage) Commands are simple and intuitive “low threshold and NO ceiling”

LOGO Today STARLogo UCBLogo Massively Parallel Developed by Mitchel Resnick at MIT Turtles, Termites, and Traffic Jams: Explorations in Massively Parallel Microworlds UCBLogo Unix, msDos, Mac Brian Harvey at UC at Berkeley Computer Science Logo Style

LOGO Today MSWLogo Windows (GUI) version of UCBLogo George Mills at Softronics, INC Has all the power of any windows programming Language Great tool for exploring Advanced Computer Topics

Today’s Topic Teaching programming concepts using MSWLogo Two goals Use Iteration in Geometric Constructions Use Recursion In Geometric Constructions Fractals Methods of Instruction The student experience is Totally Hands On By using Constructivism Educational Philosophy

MSWLogo Primer

Turtle commands To move To Turn Pen Commands Forward (# of steps) FD Back (# of steps) BK Home (back to the Middle) To Turn Right (# of Degrees) RT Left (# of Degrees) LT Pen Commands PenUp PU PenDown PD SetPenColor [Red, Green, Blue] O-255

MSWLogo Commands Edit <procedure> Edall ClearScreen CS Creates a procedure (program) Edall Edit all procedures in memory ClearScreen CS Repeat # [stuff to do] :<Identifier> Variable (place to store stuff .. Memory) Mathematics *, +, -, / (4 +3)/12*3-6

Draw a square Lets make the turtle draw a square First think how you would draw a square. Then tell the turtle to do it FD 100 RT 90 Repeat 4 [FD 100 RT 90]

Create a program for Drawing a square Invoke the editor by typing “edall” Every procedure To <name> <maybe some stuff> <stuff to do> End Remember variables can be used (:X)

The square program To square : size Repeat 4 [fd :size rt 90] END Type run square #

Something Cool What if the turtle took a step and turned slightly and drew another Square? And then did this a bunch of times?? To cool :size Repeat 100 [square :size fd 1 rt 10] END

Something Cool

Drawing a fern A fern is a Fractal Structure is repeated Every leaf is a fern Structure is recursive

MSWLogo Fern A Fern is A stem A fern to the left A fern to the right A fern to the front

Program for Drawing a Fern Teaching a turtle Botany Fern program Go forward Draw a fern to the left Go back Draw a fern to the right Go Back Draw a fern to the front Till it gets too small to draw

The program to fern :size if :size < 4 [stop] fd :size / 25 lt 90 fern :size * .3 rt 90 rt 90 fern :size * .3 lt 90 fern :size * .85 bk :size / 25 end

A Cool Fractal Fern

What we learned Programming using Iteration Turtle drawing Square Programming using recursion Turtle drawing Fractals Programming is fun AND creative

Logo Resources MSWLogo Logo Foundation http://www.softronix.com/logo.html Logo Foundation http://el.www.media.mit.edu/groups/logo-foundation/ Logo Art Gallery http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/2276/ Beginnings of My Logo workshop http://littleblack.umfk.maine.edu

Questions??