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

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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”

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. MSWLogo Primer

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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]

13. 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)

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

15. 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

16. Something Cool

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

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

19. 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

20. 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

21. A Cool Fractal Fern

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

23. Logo Resources MSWLogo Logo Foundation
Logo Foundation
Logo Art Gallery
Beginnings of My Logo workshop

24. Questions??