collaboration

Sphero Robots! Learning how to program…
by

Sphero Robots! Learning how to program…

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year level: Grade 3+

Strand: Processes and Production Skills

Sub Strand: Digital Implementation

Content Descriptor Example: Use visually represented sequenced steps (algorithms), including steps with decisions made by the user (branching) (ACTDIP011)

General Capabilities:

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability

Links to other learning areas:

  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Even English and Art!

Link to resource: http://www.sphero.com/education

First impressions

I had never heard of a Sphero until I commenced my third year practicum and had to provide a learning experience involving them. I really had no idea what I was doing, but I quickly learnt that I was just the facilitator during this lesson and the students were in control of their own learning. The students loved the fact that they were teaching me something. All students were engaged in programming and collaborating with their peers to make the Sphero follow their innovative designs they had created.

So, what is a Sphero?

A Sphero is a little robotic ball that can be programmed using an app such as the sphero app, lightning lab or tickle app. You can create a series of instructions using the programming app where the Sphero will then follow the instructions you have created. Sphero can do tricks, dance to music being played, flash different colours AND it is also waterproof and shockproof.

How you could use a Sphero in the classroom

To provide an activity that suits the diversity of students, I would suggest to create a number of self paced challenges that can be completed by the students. Start with simple challenges that slowly progress to more difficult challenges. Students can move on to the next challenge once they have completed the one before. For example, the first challenge could be to program the Sphero to roll in a straight line forward and back. The next challenge could be to make a jump for the Sphero and make the Sphero go over it and return back to the beginning. Create harder challenges by adding corners, hills, obstacles, goals etc. This all depends on what experience the students have with programming. Students will be engaged in computational thinking as they are trying to solve these challenges by formulating the solution.

To incorporate Mathematics, students could design a pathway or maze by creating a 2D drawing to scale. Students can begin creating their pathway or maze using masking tape and items around the classroom making sure they keep to their measurements. They will then need to program their Sphero to complete the pathway or maze. Creating activities like these allow students to work collaboratively and have quality discussions about their understandings. Listening to some of the conversations the students have during this activity can blow you away.

When working with a Sphero, students are investigating, defining and designing their pathway drawing. Students then produce and implement their pathway ready for use considering safety measures. Once they have trialed their pathway, students will evaluate the progress made and discuss what changes need to be made by collaborating and managing.

TIPS

When working in groups, it could be handy to give particular roles to students, otherwise they may spend half the lesson fighting over who gets to do what. These roles could include: programmer, designer, builder, Sphero manager. Then swap the roles around making sure all students have a go at programming.

Allow plenty of time for pack up, otherwise you will be spending half the afternoon doing it by yourself.

Something extra…

Take a look at the Sphero Blog for ideas and inspiration.

Need some assistance with how to use a Sphero? Click here

 

By Jessica Read

 

References

School Curriculum and Standards Authority. [2014]. Digital Technologies. WA: Government of Western Australia. Retrieved from http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/curriculum-browser/technologies/digital-technologies2

Sphero. (2016, June 20). Just add imagination [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk4HylFFC4c&feature=youtu.be

Sphero. (2015, August 4). What is sphero SPRK edition [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg8LmEkI_0c&list=PLSdn63ba-PlZwLKYDV1I-BaW0ZRqYlXvY&index=5

Sphero. (2016, June 20). Sphero SPRK inspiring in the classroom [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yQYr7CIxBc&t=4s

 

by

Creating Your Own Game – An Inside Look at Gamestar Mechanic – JOSH GARDINER

Subject: Design and Technology

Year Level: 6

Strand: Processes and Production Skills

Sub Strand: Creating Solutions By: Designing

Content Descriptor: Design, modify, follow and represent both diagrammatically, and in written text, alternative solutions using a range of techniques, appropriate technical terms and technology.

Link to the Resource:

http://gamestarmechanic.com/

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities:

  • Numeracy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
  • Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT)
  • Personal and Social Capability (PSC)

Links to Other Learning Areas:

  • Mathematics
  • Science

A Classroom Activity Using this Resource:

The students can be in charge of designing and then constructing their own video game. Every child’s fantasy right?

Or I am the only one who wondered how some of the best video game titles came into existence?

You have simple games like the infamous Flappy Bird that was hated so much that it became a classic and even though it is no longer available. The creator still made enough money to stop supporting the game. The concept that you can be the creator of the next big idea in the gaming world is exciting. Now I know you cannot wait to get started on this. Enjoy this tool as a class and publish your games that you create for other students to play.

Happy Gaming!

How to Use this Resource:

  • The designer is really simple to use.
  • Just create an account.
  • Using secure usernames and passwords for each student (something that can be easily remembered).
  • Once you have logged in; you can either take lessons on how to begin/improve your design skills or you can get straight into designing your own game.
  • It is a good idea however, to start with a couple introduction lessons/courses just to get an understanding for the basics.
  • From there you can construct a plan for what style of game you are to create.

 

By Josh Gardiner

Pre-service Teacher

Edith Cowan University

Perth, Western Australia.

by

Teaching digital technologies through the arts

 

acapella logo

 

 

Acapella from PicPlayPost

 

 

 

Acapella is an app to create music. It is easy to use and is very flexible as a classroom tool. Creating music is a skill that requires many thinking skills. After the creative idea then comes the problem solving and this app helps the user to analyse what they have recorded and work out how they can record other parts which match in with that track. It can be used simply by students who have had no musical tuition through to adult musicians.

Year Level:  2 – 6

Subject: Technologies

Strand: Digital technologies processes and production skills.

Sub-strand: Creating solutions by implementing all five strategies: investigating and designing, designing, producing and implementing, evaluating, collaborating and managing.

 

Link to the Resource:

Apple app: https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/acapella-from-picplaypost/id924635678?mt=8

Android app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.mixcord.acapella&hl=en

More information: http://www.mixcord.co/

 

General Capabilities: Literacy, numeracy, ICT, critical and creative capability, personal and social capacity and ethical understanding.

 

Links to other learning areas:

Music: Students can create music or play music written for them. They can work in small groups of 3 or 4, playing an instrument they are learning, singing or playing a percussion instrument that needs no experience to play. They collaborate to create a melody and harmonies that will go with it. The play back feature allows them to listen critically to match each other in beat. It allows exploration of the elements of music as additional parts can be analysed and judged for which part works and which part doesn’t. These creations can be shared, which is normally impossible to do without a concert event.acappella app

Literacy: The recording features could be used with a text with one student reading orally and others joining in with sound effects, actions or contributing greater volume by choral reading. This app allows for the critical appraisal of timing matching lyric with some other visual or auditory aspect.

 

In the classroom: Write an advertisement for your school fete of 1 minute length. All group members need to be involved with recording a part. The four parts could include: acting, showing illustrations, written speech and song.  Anything would work for a track, providing that it will fit together and match the message being delivered. This could be done with a year 4, 5 or 6 class. It could be a competition with the winning group being shared with the school community as an advertisement for the upcoming school fete.

 

How to use this resource: The free version will allow for a four part 1 minute production. This would be adequate for many uses. Four tracks allows for four participants which is a good number for collaborative group work. You select the layout plan you want and then record one part at a time, by tapping on the panel where the next clip is recorded. There is a count-in to help mark time and a metronome beat that continues if you are using app for music. Headphones may be worn so you can hear other tracks playing while you record your contribution. You can easily listen and watch it back to make critical appraisal; from this you can keep or delete. This method of listening, appraising and matching specific actions to other participants work is computational thinking in action.

To see a demonstration from Mixcord: https://youtu.be/q1m8eE6JZ04

 

How to Use the Acapella App Step By Step: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mULMfha3TmE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by

Code Academy

Code Academy

Screen Shot 2016-08-01 at 6.03.09 pm

Website: https://www.codecademy.com/learn
Application: Code Academy

Subject: Digital Technologies
Year level: 5/6

Cross Curricular and General Capabilities:

  • Critical and Creative Thinking and Information
  • Communication Technology (ICT)

Strand: Digital Technologies: Process and Production Skills.

Content descriptors:
• Design solutions to a user interface for a digital system (ACTDIP018)
• Design, follow and represent diagrammatically, a simple sequence of steps (algorithm), involving branching (decisions) and iteration (repetition) (ACTDIP019)
• Implement and use simple visual programming environments that include branching (decisions), iteration (repetition) and user input (ACTDIP020)

Integrated learning areas:

Literacy:

  • Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for defined audiences and purposes incorporating accurate and sequenced content and multimodal elements (ACELY1700)
  • Use a range of software, including word processing programs, learning new functions as required to create texts (ACELY1717)

Website description:

Code Academy is an educational website devoted to building the best learning experience of technology possible. This website has a range of activities dedicated to forming a foundation and strengthening skills in the area of coding for all ages. Code Academy enables students to create and implement their very own website while using and developing basic coding skills. Students are given basic codes and instructions to follow to change different element of a webpage including font, font size, actions and wording. This website has a diverse range of levels to cater for all age ranges and abilities; monitoring their progress and they reach new levels and achievements. Using Code Academy, students are able to work independently or collaborate with their peers online to form a webpage together. Code Academy allows students to understand how websites and formed and used, giving them essential skills for our technology based futures.

Using code academy:

This resource may be used in the classroom as a way to encourage collaborative problem solving. Students are able to work together to manipulate new codes and follow instructions to complete their website. Students may extend their website by focusing it on an informative topic and presenting it to the class as an assessment task.

To use Code Academy in the classroom simple download the Code Academy app onto the class ipads or follow the prompts on the website, https://www.codecademy.com/learn

 

 

iMotion- Stop Motion Application
by

iMotion- Stop Motion Application

Name: iMotion by Fingerlab

Link to resource:
https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/imotion/id421365625?mt=8

Description of resource:
This application allows students to take photos and put them together to form a video. It has the capability for manual or automatic photo capture, a grid so that objects in shot are placed appropriately and videos can be shared with social media or with online websites as well as onto the devices photo folder.

Video: This video explains the concept and shows the features of the app in an example stop motion video.

Year level/band level: all band levels F-2, 3-4, 5-6

Subject: Design Technology
Strand: Processes and Production Skills
Sub-strands and Content Descriptors: Generating and Producing

  • 2.6 Visualise, generate, develop and communicate design ideas through describing, drawing and modeling
  • 2.7 Use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to safely make designed solutions

Subject: Digital Technologies
Strand: Knowledge and Understanding
Sub-strands and Content Descriptors:Digital Systems

  • 2.1 Identify and use digital systems (hardware and software components) for a purpose)

Strand: Processes and Production Skills
Sub-strands and Content Descriptors: Collaborating and managing

  • 2.6 Work with others to create and organise ideas and information using information systems, and share these in safe online environments

Cross Curricular Priorities and General Capabilities:
This technology encourages students to learn about and use information and communication technology (ICT) as well as other general capabilities. Specifically this technology encourages Critical and Creating Thinking as well as Personal and Social Capability.

Using stop motion videos to convey ideas, explain concepts, show understanding and communicate ideas to problems encourages students act in ways that contribute to a sustainable future. In creating these videos, students are contributing to the wealth of knowledge and passing on information for future students to use.

Links to other learning areas:
English

  • Animating a story e.g. animating student’s own narrative writing, retelling a section from a novel, creating vidual representations of poetry etc.
  • Creating an instructional video- visualising a procedural text

Maths

  • Creating ‘How To’ videos to explain students own knowledge of a maths concept

Science

  • Explain a concept or illustrating a theory, such as how electricity works in a circuit or demonstrating the change of state when a liquid changes to a gas.

How it is useful to classroom:
In the past stop motion capture and production was too impractical for a classroom and educational context, however with free apps like this stop motion one, it now very easy for students in the classroom to create their own photos and videos on a mobile device

Exciting way for students to engage with different learning areas and learn about the technology they are using to convey ideas and solutions to problems.
Teachers use this application as a helpful assessment tool when seeing how students are progressing through ideas. Once the video is made, teachers can go back and video the video again for assessment purposes.

Flexible and engaging for students to represent what they know- especially for students who are weaker in written or oral language or who are learning English as another language or dialect, they can show their knowledge and skills through the use of this technology and collaboration with others.

This application enables students to work together on their videos as a collaborative task – someone captures pictures while others plan future photos or move objects for the next photo as well as previous steps in the design process such as designing props or a storyboard.
It is easy to share videos safely online or onto a mobile device for sharing with the community. If parents, other classrooms or schools are connected by class blogs, videos can be posed online so students learning and creations can be viewed.

screen480x480screen480x480-2screen480x480-3screen480x480-4screen480x480-5

All Photos and Video are property of Finger Labs 2012