Ozobot

A few months ago, I did some research on robotics kits for pre-schoolers. Since that time, I've been to the NSTA convention and actually had a chance to play with several of them. I already own LEGO's WeDo set (which I love), but I think it's a little advanced for 4-year olds (my target audience). The 4M Tin Can Robot from Walmart turned out to be a nightmare to put together - too many tiny little screws and flimsy plastic parts (though it seemed fairly durable once we finally got it together). Some robotic kits are a bit pricey (like Dash & Dot); some are a little complicated for a 4-year old's fine motor skills (like Meccano). I was leaning toward Ozobot, but the reviews were somewhat mixed, especially in the area of customer service. I finally decided to take a chance on the Ozobot, but buy it from Amazon since they have an excellent return policy if anything went wrong. And I am so pleased with my purchase.

I opted for the Ozobot 2.0 Bit Starter Pack. It was only $5 more than the Ozobot alone, and came with a set of markers (saving me a trip to the store). What I didn't realize was that it also came with an assortment of activity sheets, color codes, puzzles, stickers, and skins. Some of the activity sheets are pre-printed routes with color codes interspersed along the black lines. Some have blank sections requiring students to use markers or stickers to designate the color-coded action. Still others are like puzzles, requiring students to enter a specific set of color codes to accomplish a goal. Overall, I think this is an excellent way to introduce programming to 4-year olds who have not developed an extensive reading vocabulary. And once they get a little older, they can write more traditional programs with OzoBlockly and download them to their robots.

Because the Ozobot is so small (notice the penny in the photo), it can also follow lines on an iOS or Android tablet. It even worked on my old Kindle Fire, following lines I drew with the SketchBook app. The team at ozobot.com is hard at work developing interesting apps to trigger the imagination of your students, such as OzoGroove - an app designed to have your Ozobot execute dance moves. I can't wait to see what they come up with next.

Pre-K Robot Kits

My niece is turning 4 next month which prompted me to go hunting for a Pre-K robotics set. OMG are there a multitude of possibilities to choose from, especially if you are independently wealthy (which I’m not). With all the STEM initiatives, I guess everyone is jumping on the robotics bandwagon, including manufacturers. Since I am the nerdy-engineer aunt, I am looking at this birthday present as an educational investment – meaning I’d like to find a product that she can build as well as program and that gives her the flexibility to create her own designs. From a practical standpoint, I’d like the product to be fun right out of the box with enough possibilities to hold her interest long-term. This list is not by all means complete, since there are new products popping up every day. I purposefully left off remote-control type robots like Sphero or robots that would be too sophisticated and frustrating for younger kids. But I’m passing along the products I discovered in case you need to go shopping for your own niece or nephew.

LEGO WeDo. Since I’m already a big fan of LEGO (and so is my niece), this system is an obvious choice. It’s buildable, programmable, and compatible with just about every platform (Mac/Windows, Chromebook, iOS, Android). Some people complain that the base kit contains only 1 motor, but LEGO’s online tutorial gives several different gearing designs for utilizing the output from just 1 motor (including 2-wheeled vehicles). I find that incredibly intriguing, not to mention a great think-out-of-the-box learning tool. But I just saw an announcement for LEGO’s new Boost robotics system that’s giving me pause. While I’ve seen some reviews that describe it as more “exciting” than WeDo, I’m not convinced (yet) it will be that much different from the current WeDo system beyond giving you 2 motors and some new sensors. Plus I’m not seeing any Chromebook-compatibility. Unfortunately, I can’t check it out for myself, because Boost isn’t shipping until August 2017.

Dash & Dot. This robot is a bit pricey, but definitely programmable with iOS, Android, or surprisingly Kindle Fire. But these robots come pre-built. There are some interesting accessories you can get to go with them, like a xylophone, ball launcher, and bulldozer bar, but that incurs an additional expense. What baffled me, though, were the building block connectors that will allow you to “snap on LEGO blocks to transform Dash into anything.” Why wouldn’t I just save myself some money and buy a LEGO robotics set to start with???

Ozobot. This tiny, little robot is certainly fascinating. He’s cheap, miniature in size, and programmable with colored markers. Unfortunately, he’s not buildable and I don’t see any long-term creative possibilities. (But that doesn’t mean I’m not intrigued enough to try one out on my own!)

Meccano. Since this robotics kit is modeled after the old erector sets, it is definitely buildable. You even attach the pieces together with real screws. The price isn’t bad, but customer reviews indicate that some models take a long time to build, programming can be confusing, and there may be problems with the system’s power management (battery life). I think this system offers a lot of creative possibilities, but it might be a bit overwhelming for a 4-year old. Meccano gets placed on the back burner until she’s older.

EZ-Robot. This system is comprised of EZ-Bits that you click together to make a robot. Sounds simple, but the bits you are clicking together do things like speech recognition, vision tracking, glyph recognition, GPS tracking – activities that are almost over my head, let alone hers. Again, goes on the shelf for later.

MakeBlock mBot. You have to build this robot, but once it’s put together, I don’t see possibilities for making new designs unless you purchase add-on kits. It is, however, compatible with LEGO (there we go again), so you can get creative that way. This kit does, however, come with 2 motors whereas WeDo only comes with 1. MakeBlock has its own programming app, but it is also compatible with Scratch and Arduino. One of the nice things about their website is that they have 2 free tutorials you can download with lots of getting started activities specifically made for kids.

ZOOB-Bot. This is a very inexpensive kit that you can buy at most retail stores with a toy department. The pieces snap together to create different designs. There is no programming involved, because it is more of a mechanical device with pull-back motors. It’s probably not a bad toy for an afternoon’s enjoyment, but not a long-lasting contender.

4M Tin Can Robot. I’ll have to admit, I already bought one of these kits for my niece. It’s only $10 and has that artsy/craftsy feel to it that I enjoy. You make the robot out of a recycled soda can. It comes with a motor, a couple cams, and some miscellaneous parts for decoration. There isn’t any programming involved and the kit isn’t reusable, but it makes for a silly afternoon of nerdy fun.

Makerspaces

I've been noticing that more and more schools are establishing makerspaces, especially in the library area. A makerspace can be a great place for building robots or designing jewelry or programming an app or coloring a picture. There are no blueprints or rules for a makerspace. A makerspace is simply a DIY area where students can explore, invent, learn, and do something creative with their hands at their own pace in a relaxed, non-threatening environment.

I recently taught a hands-on workshop for teachers on Makerspaces. My goal was to give participants a multitude of simple, inexpensive tips and tricks - ideas for starting their own makerspaces. The activities ranged from high-tech to low-tech, pricey to budget-friendly, and skilled to novice. Contrary to popular opinion, makerspaces are not just about tools (especially 3D printers), but about the possibilities for imagination and creativity - where students are encouraged to improve their tinkering skills and think out-of-the-box.

Here is the agenda I used for the workshop. The times are approximations and would vary depending on the experience and skill-level of your audience.

Monday
8:00am  Curiosity Corner:  Raspberry Pi
8:05am  TOOT-Box Warmup:  Marshmallow Towers
8:35am  Topic:  What is a Makerspace?
9:00am  Activity:  Knex Towers
10:00am  Topic:  The Design Process
10:30am  Activity:  Skill Assessment - Using Tools
11:45am  Lunch
12:30pm  STEAM Stimulus:  Zentangles
1:00pm  Topic:  Directed vs Discovery Activities
1:30pm  Activity:  Kite Design

Tuesday
8:00am  Curiosity Corner:  Minecraft
8:05am  TOOT-Box Warmup:  Newspaper Boats
8:35am  Topic:  Sensitivity Considerations - Manual Dexterity
9:00am  Activity:  Finger Knitting
10:00am  Field Trip:  3D Printing at a local library
11:45am  Lunch
12:30pm  STEAM Stimulus:  Geometry in Art
1:00pm  Topic:  Consumable Materials vs Capital Equipment
1:30pm  Activity:  Dollar Store Designs

Wednesday
8:00am  Curiosity Corner:  LEGO Simple Machines
8:05am  TOOT-Box Warmup:  Crash Cushions
8:35am  Topic:  Qualitative vs Quantitative Measurements
9:00am  Activity:  Redesign Crash Cushions
10:00am  Topic:  Evaluation - Sensors or a Bucket of Sand?
10:30am  Activity:  Suspension Bridges
11:45am  Lunch
12:30pm  STEAM Stimulus:  One Word Designs
1:00pm  Topic:  Taking It Outdoors
1:30pm  Activity:  Solar Cars

Thursday
8:00am  Curiosity Corner:  Motion Maps
8:05am  TOOT-Box Warmup:  House of Cards
8:35am  Topic:  Architectural Design
9:00am  Activity:  AutoCAD Templates
10:00am  Topic:  Architectural Rendering
10:30am  Activity:  Laser Cutting Architectural Models
11:45am  Lunch
12:30pm  STEAM Stimulus:  Cropped Collages
1:00pm  Topic:  Famous Tinkerers
1:30pm  Activity:  Rube Goldberg Marble Roller Coasters 

Friday
8:00am  Curiosity Corner:  Makey Makey
8:05am  TOOT-Box Warmup:  PVC Paper Rocket Launchers
8:35am  Topic:  Methods of Assessment
9:00am  Activity:  Squishy Circuits
10:00am  Topic:  Non-traditional Materials
10:30am  Activity:  Conductive Paint Pens
11:45am  Lunch
12:30pm  STEAM Stimulus:  Comics
1:00pm  Topic:  Competitive Tech Coaching
1:30pm  Activity:  Robotic Devices

Each day, I started off the workshop introducing the Curiosity Corner. The materials in this space tended to be higher-priced, technology-oriented electronics - activities that wouldn't appeal to all, but might have been heard of by some. Interested participants could play with the materials whenever they had free time.

The TOOT-Box Warmup (Think-Out-Of-The-Box) was intended partly as an icebreaker (teachers were assigned new partners each day) and partly as a way to accomplish a task with non-traditional materials (such as supporting a marshmallow with spaghetti and a length of string). It was supposed to be a quickie 30-minute activity, but tended to run long, especially when the Type A's started Googling design ideas on their smart phones. It was rewarding, however, when teachers asked questions such as, "Can the marshmallow be in the middle of the tower rather than the top?" or "Can the marshmallow be torn up and used as a joint compound?" In my opinion, that's thinking-out-of-the-box.

The one thing about this workshop (for those who might be considering running their own version), it was incredibly labor and material-intensive. Many of the materials were consumable, meaning you need a fairly hefty budget to purchase enough for everyone or a fairly long lead time to collect them from your kitchen trash. The other issue was the expertise of the participants. It's hard to find a mix of activities that is pertinent and appealing to such a diverse group of individuals. Some teachers could have drawn zentangles all day long; others were bored with it after 10 minutes. If I were running this workshop again, I would probably implement more of the activities as stations, allowing the participants a greater choice in the structure of their day. That would probably go a lot farther in creating that "relaxed, non-threatening environment."

Upcycled Art

I cycled past these sculptures the other day and thought, 'what a great idea for a STEaM project" - upcycling a broken appliance into a piece of art. Back when I was teaching, the ancient copy machine in our building broke down for its last and final time. The administration had a nice new model ready to go in its place, but they were unhappy that it was going to cost $300 to transport our old dinosaur to the recycling center. I volunteered to let my students take it apart, thus giving my students a hands-on lesson in "how things work" and making the pieces small enough to fit into the trunk of my car eliminating the $300 transportation cost. That old copy machine yielded some excellent lenses, gears, and motors that we used in later science experiments, but they would have also made good components for a steampunk sculpture.

If you want to try this idea out with your own students, I would recommend asking your local parent organization to donate any broken appliances. Keep it small - can openers or radios as opposed to refrigerators or plasma TVs. Ask the students to draw diagrams as they disassemble their devices. Label individual components and discuss or research their functions. When students are ready to turn their components into a sculpture, take a teachable moment to talk about center of mass and what it's going to take to keep their sculptures from tipping over. Be sure to work in a well-ventilated area as adhesive fumes can be toxic. Be safe, but above all, have fun.

Is Google a 21st Century STEM Skill?

During a recent educator workshop, I challenged the participants to build a boat out of a single sheet of newspaper. The primary goal was to build a vessel that would float in a bucket of water, but would also hold the greatest number of pennies before sinking. I envisioned this as one of those 15-minute warm-up activities designed to start everyone thinking out of the box.

Imagine my surprise when I noticed several participants Googling newspaper boat designs. My quickie warm-up activity had become a time-intensive and highly competitive design challenge. I let the activity run its course, but when summing up I mentioned that it had been my intention for people to think on their own (not via Google) about building something out of a non-traditional material.

Suddenly I was hit with a backlash of comments about not allowing the participants to use their 21^st century skills. It turned into quite a lively debate between those who advocated using their brains and those who insisted upon using their phones. And, yes, I’ll say it – the people with the strongest opinions tended to be the Baby Boomers versus the Millennials.

I think allowing students to use their cellphones as an educational tool opens up a world of exciting possibilities; but like most things in life, there is a proper time and a place. We also need to teach students how to think for themselves in order to promote inspiration and creativity. Proactively exercising your brain leads to better mood, faster thinking, improved memory, quicker reaction time, and increased focus. After all, no matter how good the design, if you build a boat out of newspaper it will eventually become water-logged and sink.

SparkFun Inventors' Kit

If you're looking for some simple, but interesting, circuits to build with your Arduino, the SparkFun Inventors' Kit is an easy, cost-effective option. This kit includes everything you need to build 16 different circuits - and I mean everything, including an Arduino, a breadboard, and a wide assortment of electronic components (LEDs, switches, sensors, motors, etc - they even include a screwdriver). If you've already got many of these components, they make it super easy to order any missing pieces from their web-linked materials list. I especially like the black backer board that holds the Arduino and breadboard in close proximity so jumper wires stay securely in place. 

Another great thing that SparkFun does is publish all their tutorials for the 16 circuits online. At first I was tempted to skip around and try out only those activities that were new to me (after all, I can't tell you the number of times I've lit up an LED), but I stuck with doing the activities in order. Good thing. These tutorials are a great teaching tool, not just in electronics, but in Arduino programming. Each activity gets progressively more advanced building on previous concepts and introducing new ones. The tutorials also address real-world applications and suggest interesting variations to try out.

My only complaint with these tutorials was with the hook-up tables (which SparkFun actually stopped using after the third activity). The hook-up table in the first activity told me to put the LED in C2, but there is no C2 pin on an Arduino. It finally dawned on me that C2 was referring to the breadboard hole, not the Arduino pin. If you're like me, I usually just put my components into the first available breadboard hole and don't really worry about row and column referencing. I think a nice labeled diagram would be a much better substitute for this table. But to SparkFun's credit, they put a wealth of information into the comment sections of their sample sketches, so I've learned to skip straight to the comments when wiring up my circuits.

Becoming a STEM Consultant

I am a consultant – a STEM Education Specialist. I love my job, but I can't keep up with all the opportunities that come my way. Why am I saying this? Because there is a huge demand for STEM educators and you might be considering a career change.

So what exactly does a consultant do? Mostly I teach students and teachers how to use technology. STEM is the hot topic right now in education and administrators want to jump on the bandwagon with the latest and greatest gadgets. That's where I come in, because those gadgets aren't always as easy to understand as they look. Matter of fact, that's probably my greatest skill – making things look easy.

I am an engineer by training (civil and electrical) with extensive (but varied) experience in teaching (high school, middle school, industry, and college). I've never stayed in one place for very long, because I'm one of those people who always want to try something new. Some might call that a rolling stone; I prefer to think of it as visionary. I'm creative and passionate about hands-on activities that relate to the real world and think that anyone can be successful if you make learning fun as well as challenging. My favorite tools are robots and sensors with a little sprinkling of art thrown in. I firmly believe if you're good in art, you're good in math; and besides, everyone likes a little color in their life.

How did I get started in this business? When I find something I like, I'm very vocal about passing that information along to others. Businesses love to support people who do that, whether it be by representing the product at a conference, writing up a curriculum manual to go with the product, or teaching a workshop to show someone else how to use it. That is what I spend most of my time doing and I love it.

My job is not without a few frustrations, mostly in the accounting end of things. In order to get paid, I have to keep track of my hours, send out billing statements to my clients, and pay my own taxes and insurance (not the fun part of my job). I'm a very organized person, but unfortunately many of my clients are not. Instead of one boss, I have many, most of whom are borderline techno-phobes, but who are determined to get into STEM.

My advice if you want to become a STEM consultant – get out there and make a name for yourself (90% of my jobs come from referrals). Check out your local university, community center, or library, because many of them offer summer workshops for kids and adults. Offer to teach one that highlights your expertise. As long as people sign up, your fee is paid by the registrants' tuition. Make sure your idea is innovative, hands-on, and cost-conscious. A client probably won't be willing to buy a classroom set of drones for a newbie, but most organizations have access to a set of computers. Start off by suggesting an Hour of Code workshop using Scratch or Python or appInventor or any of the other free programs easily downloadable from the internet. And then invite the organization's marketing department to your workshop to take photos. It's a win-win for everyone – the organization gets some good publicity and you've gotten your first job as a consultant.