1. Costructionism and Robotics in School Education
Dimitris Alimisis Department of Education,
School of Pedagogical & Technological Education, Greece

2. L.L.P. PROGRAMME: HIGHER EDUCATION (ERASMUS)
SCHOOL OF PEDAGOGICAL & TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION
L.L.P. PROGRAMME: HIGHER EDUCATION (ERASMUS)
School of Pedagogical & Technological Education, GR Comenius University, SK
Bilateral Agreement for the Academic Year 2008/2010

3. Short information about A.S.PE.T.E
Higher education institution
founded in Athens in June 2002
State-funded public legal entity
Mission…
to provide Technological Education and concurrently Pedagogical Education
to promote applied research in educational technology and pedagogy
to provide pedagogical training, further training or specialization
…in educational sciences like…
didactics with new technologies,
technology education,
guidance and counseling
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D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

4. ASPETE’s Campus and Branches
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D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

5. Postgraduate Programmes
A joint postgraduate programme in cooperation with the National University of Athens in “Subjects Didactics and New Technologies” (
A joint postgraduate programme “M.A. in Education”, in cooperation with Roehampton University, London (
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

6. For more info…

7. D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK
Topics…
Why Robotics in school education?
Which teaching methodology?
Which technology?
The crucial factor is the teacher!
The TERECoP pilot training course (Athens 2008)
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

8. Why Robotics in education?
Robotics as learning object…
enables students to control the behavior of a tangible model by means of a virtual environment
Offers constructional skills
Makes programming work concrete and clear: students can see their programming commands to be realized by the robot
Develops designing skills: students can design and test their own projects
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

9. Why Robotics in education?
Robotics as learning tool
Supports interdisciplinary, project-based learning activities
learners can be actively involved in the solution of authentic problems
enhance learners’ research attitudes
allow learners to
make assumptions
carry out experiments
develop their abstracting skills
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

10. before teachers rush to exploit robotics in education…
Technology alone cannot affect students’ minds
We need the appropriate…
educational theory
appropriate curriculum
learning environment
teaching methods
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

11. D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK
The TERECoP project
European Programme Socrates/Comenius/Action 2.1 (Training of School Education Staff)
duration 3 years:
6 countries - 8 institutions :
School of Pedagogical and Technological Education (GR, coordinator)
Institut Universitaire de Formation des Maîtres d'Aix-Marseille (FR)
Department of Information Engineering – University of Padova (IT)
University of Piteşti (RO)
IT+Robotics srl (IT)
Museo Civico di Rovereto (IT)
Charles University Prague, Faculty of Education (CZ)
Public University of Navarre (ES)
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

12. D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK
TERECoP objectives
designing of appropriate robotics-based learning activities
production of a set of critical examples
testing and evaluation of those activities by trainees
in training courses
in real classroom settings
the development of a community of practice between educators and teachers
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D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

13. a constructionist perspective
Learners build something on their own
Learners create a tangible object that they can both touch and find meaningful
Learners are invited to work on experiments or problem-solving with selective use of available resources, according to their own interests, search and learning strategies
Learners seek solutions to real world problems, based on a technological framework meant to engage students' curiosity and initiate motivation
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

14. The TERECoP learning methodology
Stage
Activities in class
Engagement stage
Students are provided with an open-ended problem and get involved in defining the project and main issues involved
Exploration stage
Students get familiar with experimental devices, make hypothesis and test their validity in real conditions
Investigation stage
Students formulate the driving questions
or problems, investigate alternative solutions
Creation stage
Students share and combine their
artefacts, synthesize ‘solutions’ to the
initial problem
Evaluation stage
Students share ideas & products at class
level, evaluate final group proposals
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

15. to partner technology with the ideas of constructionism…
The LEGO Mindstorms ΝΧΤ system
building materials
sensors
programming software
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

16. the crucial factor is the teacher …
for successful introduction of robotics in school education we need to
enable teachers to implement the robotics-enhanced constructionist learning in classroom settings
support teacher professional development in the field
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D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

17. teachers teach as they are taught, not as they are told to teach!
It is not enough for trainers to describe new ways of teaching and expect teachers to translate from talk to action
learning activities that teachers can include in their own classes
follow the kind of learning spirit that we wish our trainees to cultivate in their school classes
Provide a co-operative and collaborative framework
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D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

18. D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK
Training methodology
focus on learning experiences: trainees actively engage in group work
respect & exploit trainees’ teaching experience, pedagogical background, perspectives
enhance reflection on current practices and future trends in designing robotics-enhanced activities
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D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

19. D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK
Trainees work …
As Students: familiarize themselves with materials and the programming environment & reflect on hands on activities & experience collaborative activities
As Teachers: critical thinking on theoretical principles and the methodology for designing robotics-enhanced activities
As Designers: design and build their own projects
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

20. The TERECoP training methodology
Stage
activities
Engagement stage
How can we use robotics in school class? Trainees get involved in discussions of the theoretical framework of constructionism and of learning strategies and methodologies
Exploration stage
Trainees explore experimental devices, programming tools, methodological issues and a given project-example on how to organize a robotic project
Investigation stage
trainees investigate the proposed methodology, plan and design their own projects and set their own evaluation criteria
Creation stage
trainees share and combine their ideas, synthesize solutions and suggestions and create their own final artifacts and projects
Evaluation stage
Trainees write reports, present their final products and projects at class level and evaluate them
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

21. Emphasis on communication…
Communication in group level and in the classroom
Learners express their ideas and test their understanding through their collaboration in small group and/or in classroom
Feedback from each other
the trainers give learners the opportunity to improve their work and meet the learning goals of the project
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

22. D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK
Communication supported by an open source e-class platform
public areas for all the members of the class - trainers and trainees
private areas for each group to upload their diaries & products, discuss topics, and exchange s
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

23. An exemplary implementation
Who?
23 trainees: 15 teachers in service (4 teachers of primary education and 11 of secondary education) and 8 post-graduate student-teachers
4 trainers
Where?
at the premises of the School of Pedagogical and Technological Education (ASPETE) in Athens
When?
5 face to face meetings of six teaching periods each (5x6=30 teaching periods in total) during 3 Fridays/Saturdays afternoons. Between the fourth & fifth meeting, an interval of three weeks (Easter holidays) was intervened. Through this period groups worked on the development of their own project
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

24. An exemplary implementation …
What?
Didactical contract, curriculum based on hands-on activities and e-activities & content
How?
Working on activities, reflecting, keeping diaries, work in teams, peer evaluation, exchange of experiences / ideas / information
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

25. TERECoP training course session 1 (6h)
Introductions (“breaking the ice”)
Agreeing on a "didactic contract"
Constructivism, constructionism and project-based learning
each group study, comment through the e-class on a specific section of a paper about ‘Constructivist Learning’ and present it in the plenary
the trainer discusses and summarises the basic principles of constructionist learning emphasizing on the use of educational robotics as a leaning tool
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

26. TERECoP training course Session 2 (6 h)
robotics as learning object (or getting started with robotics)
getting familiar with Lego Mindstorms Education NXT kit
constructing a robot-car with two motors following the manual instructions
proposing a set of criteria for evaluating robotic constructions
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

27. TERECoP training course Session 2 (6 h) …
Structured introductory activities to the programming environment of Lego Mindstorms Education NXT:
programme a robot to move along a square
investigate the relation between power of motor and speed of the robot-car, left and right turns
share your products with trainers and other trainees
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

28. TERECoP training course Session 2 (6 h) …
Working with the project ‘The cat, the mouse and the master’ – open problems to solve like:
make the cat run after the mouse and stop when it reaches a black area (the mouse!)
make the cat able to stop for a while and make a sound when the master touches it
use variables to make the cat move on a spiral path.
data logging
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

29. TERECoP training course Session 3 and 4 (12h)
Robotics as learning tool (or designing projects with robotics)
Features of a robotic project
Methodology on how to organize a project
An exemplary robotic project
Apply the model to a new robotic project
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

30. TERECoP training course Session 5 (6h)
Presentations – evaluations
Project 1: Selector of recycled garbage
Project 2: Autonomous irrigation system for water management
Project 3: Organizing seats in a theatre
Project 4: Easy parking
Project 5: A moving car
Project 6: The catapult
Course evaluation
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

31. From the training course to the school class…
trainees are encouraged to implement their projects in real school classes and to evaluate them
3 implementations in progress now…
the evaluation results and reports will be published and discussed in the public space of our e-class
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D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK

32. For further information…
18/09/2018
D. Alimisis, ERASMUS, ASPETE, GR-COMENIUS UNI. BA, SK