The document discusses an attractive way to teach programming to students in Argentina. It proposes using personal robots like Scribblers and teaching the Python programming language. Students will learn to program the robots' behaviors and sensors. This project aims to motivate students by making programming fun and hands-on, and to help integrate programming into school curricula in Argentina. It details the current situation, an inspiring robotics education project in the US, and pilot experiences in schools in La Plata, Argentina.

1. 31/08/2009
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
An attractive way to teach
programming
Javier Díaz
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
1

2. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
Agenda
Current situation in Argentina
The IPRE experience
Our project
Expected results
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
2

3. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
Current situation in Argentina
13 years of mandatary schooling
1-6: Escuela Primaria Básica (6 to 12 years old)
7-9: Escuela Secundaria Básica (13 to 15 years old)
10-13: Escuela Secundaria (15 to 18 years old)
ICTs are not taught in a standard way
Generally, office suite, graphs, Internet access
tools and “some” educational software.
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
3

4. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
Teaching programming...
Visual environment like Visual Basic
Pascal/C language or Clipper (old language but
used yet)
Almost always, in the abstract way.
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
4

5. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
Teaching programming...
Problems?
Abstract and confusing terms for children
"Boring" applications
The “nerds” kids ...
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
5

6. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
The IPRE experience
Institute for Personal Robots in Education
http://wiki.roboteducation.org
Jay Summet came to Argentina in september
2008 ...
Learning programming can be a fun!
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
6

7. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
Our Project
Stimulate kids' interest in using technology for
educational purposes
Enter in the world of programming
Use and program personal robots
Spread the use of FLOSS: use Python!
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
7

8. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
We need ...
Computers
Wireless networks via Bluetooth
The robots!!
and ...
Learn Python!!
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
8

9. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
Computers
No special requests
Linux or Windows
With Bluetooth is better...
else.. there is usb device
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
9

10. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
The robot
Scribbler
6 batteries AA
We can handle it with a video game joystick
It has sensors, wheels and a camera (like a
webcam)
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
10

11. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
The robot
Scribbler
Fluke
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
11

12. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
The robot
12
2. Left, Center, Right Light Sensors 8. Speaker/Tone Generator (2 tones)
3. Left and Right Obstacle Detectors (IR) 9. Marker Hole for Scribbling
4. Left and Right Line Sensors (IR) 10. Serial Port (9V on pin 8)
11. Battery Bay (6AA)
5. Left and Right DC Motors and Wheels
12. Blinking Low Battery Indicator
7. User Controlled Green LEDs
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
12

13. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
the “fluke”
8
5
3 3 1 3
4
8
2
7
6
1. Camera 5. Back Red LED
2. IR Receiver 6. Scribbler Communication, Programming, Voltage Sensing
3. IR Emitters 7. External Power
4. Front Green LED 8. Bluetooth Antennae and Serial # (Bluetooth Name)
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
13

14. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
Python
It is Interactive
It is multi platform
It allows a detailed and
intuitive programming
It is possible to program
complex applications
Widespread
It is open source!
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
14

15. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
Myro
Myro=”My Robot” from myro import *
It is a Python library initialize()
for i in range(4):
It works on Linux, Windows, Mac. turnLeft(1,
0.5)
It was developed by IPRE p =
It is open source! takePicture()
show(p)
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
15

16. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
Pedagogical issues
There is a growing material about the IPRE
experience
Textbook / wiki
Online resources
Experiences
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icP1dS75eDA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFOu4mm0HB8iki
In this case, the video is the result of a Python
program
We organize workshops with teachers
New activities
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
16

17. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
Experience in La Plata
Training in La Plata
With Jay Summet (Set'08)
(http://wiki.roboteducation.org/UNLP_September_2008)
With our team (Nov'08)
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
17

18. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
Experience in La Plata
20 students beetween 14 to 17 years old
2 schools in 2009
EE2 – Berisso City
School with Orientation in Programming
Liceo Victor Mercante
UNLP Dependent
Children and teachers without previous knowledge in
computer programming
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
18

19. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
Pedagogical issues
There is a growing
material about the
IPRE experience
Textbook
Wiki
Online resources
We organize workshops with teachers
New activities
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
19

20. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
Expected results
New motivation for teachers and students
Adding the programming teaching to the school
curricula
Increments interest in IT careers
Create a new investigation frame in our
laboratory.
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
20

21. 31/08/2009
An attractive way to teach programming
Questions?
javier.diaz@linti.unlp.edu.ar
https://robots.linti.unlp.edu.ar
LINTI – Facultad de Informática
21