Programming with Motion Sensor Using Lego WeDo at Lower Secondary School

Abstract

Educational robotics has become one of the popular and motivational tools of learning for mostly science and technology oriented classes. Its application in teaching specific subject is not very simple. Initiative teachers have encountered many questions, which include the selection and development of specific types of activities that can allow students to extensively utilize the potential of the selected robotic kit. In our research we have been working with educational robotics in informatics at lower secondary school. In this paper we focus on the fifth grade students, which worked with robotic kit LEGO WeDo. We analysed different types of activities, where pupils were programming the robotic model with usage of motion sensor. Our aim was to identify what types of activities the pupils resolved correctly and in what types of activities pupils most often made mistakes. In pursuit of that, we can create a more concise and easier to understand version of tasks to program the robotic model. These activities are part of the curriculum with educational robotics, which we have been developing within our doctoral research. We have been conducting design base research within we chose qualitative methods of data collection and data analysis. Based on data analysis, we found that in most cases pupils solved prepared tasks, in which they worked with programs from the worksheets (modifying the program, explaining the differences between the two programs and completing programs). Pupils mostly made mistakes in explaining a particular program and in creating a certain sequence of commands in program. In the next phase of our research we are going to modify mentioned activities so pupils can better acquire problem solving skills, programming skills and communication and collaboration skills.