1. Using Robots to Help Students Learn Programming Sylvia Clark Pulliam Western Kentucky University MSCCC April 3, 2004

2. Boe-Bots Board of Education Robots Introduced to me through NatureShift! Parallax Educational Materials Robotics! -- Student book Basic Stamp Manual -- Reference Manual Uses PBasic, similar to Qbasic Requires some assembly (quite a bit!)

3. Classroom Environment CS 230 Introduction to Programming First programming course (before CS 1) Uses QBasic Most Computer Science students start here Half are in other majors Traditional classroom setting One computer with data show capability

5. Demonstration of Robot

6. Benefits of Using Robot Students are interested Subroutines are a natural Requires calculations and thinking Output other than to paper or screen Involves relative addressing logic Many good examples, easy to understand Encourages creative thinking

7. Negatives Must go to lab for students to work Easy to lose small pieces Examples use Go To and obscure code Students can’t keep robots with them Logistics can be complicated Requires time to learn new syntax Cost -- nearly $200 each

8. Conclusions This is first semester, preliminary observations Student enthusiasm makes up for time needed to learn new techniques Need to come up with better logistical plan I will use the robots again I should try for a grant to pay for robots for other classes and money to maintain them