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Ten years ago, landed the Danish toy manufacturer Lego a real coup: He brought the electronic Mindstorms kit out of children aged 12 years and captures, and even fathers, teachers and inventors did not let go. Never before seemed constructing and programming of robot-like beings to be so easy.
On the educational development was the enterprising mathematician and psychologist Seymour Papert of the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) participated. Already in the late 60s had the Piaget-inspired students with his specially developed for children's programming language Logo made a name. And during the launch of Mindstorms in 1999, today 81jährige favor, but also a much younger audience a similar offer. Now Papert wish come true.
On the electronic BETT education trade show in London presented the Danish Bauklotz producers "WeDo" a fascinatingly simple and versatile programmable kit for Seven Years. Target population, however, are not children who are now home to the popular construction stones including an electronic page should be interesting, but first and foremost schools and teachers.
Because of the education series, which also blocks normal, spirited animal, and so-called "simple machines" offers to move more kindergartens and primary schools in the sight of the toy manufacturer. Education moves, that's trend.
New teaching materials for a change in school
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Familie.de
At the Nuremberg Toy Fair WeDo is now in Germany, then to the Education Fair in Hanover. Especially for teachers and educators to Lego was always the idea of attention, but a kind of Mindstorms offer for younger children. Finally, since 1999 the school changed. Computers and the Internet belong to Lernalltag.
But robotics?
"In more and more countries now belongs to the Robotics curriculum," says Lotte Nørregaard Andersen, Trade Marketing Manager of Lego education, "and at the same time, we find it very important to practical and intellectual Lernerlebnisse offer the creativity, teamwork and the ability to solve of problems. "
Expensive fun
But that has its premium price, even for Germany, where the product in the summer of 2009 appear to have not even been officially established. The U.S. prices but suggest that probably only a few privately Junior Robot Pack will provide. Because there is proposing the construction of box with $ 129.95 to beech, the WeDo software on CD-ROM comes to $ 39.95 and Activity Pack CD-ROM will cost $ 129.95 once again, as a multi-user license $ 239.95 . The two slices were on the way, effortlessly had a place.
Kit-kit and software are designed to maximize the children in two-person teams work for you. Per pair means a minimum investment of $ 299.85, a class record with 12 sets for 24 children from Lego offers at $ 1809.95. That really WeDo primary school on the market and not targeted to the local nursery, but it shows even more clearly reflected in the prices of small but essential parts: the USB connection cable with Bauklotz you pay $ 44.95 with proud.
To avoid misunderstanding: WeDo is great, just expensive. Alone, the pack spread a serious whiff of Science. Instead of a simple cardboard box will be almost 160 components in a laboratory re-sealable tub delivery. Mindstorms Robot World was always a little cool and futuristic over and seemed rather to a masculine-oriented flavor. WeDo education, however, is fresh, knallbunt, very playful and also speaks to girls.
How it works
Initially, the WeDo software for PC and Mac as a base install, then the programming of the Lego characters possible. Handling and use remains largely intuitive and self explanatory. They resemble the straightforward, easy-to-moving graphic symbols to the big brother Mindstorms.
With the additional integration of the "WeDo Robotics Activity Packs" come with twelve others, imaginative, weird and functional models including detailed step-by-step instructions. Now build the elementary school children various birds, propeller planes, crocodiles and monkeys who are behind in a different way to steer or move.
That will not happen without the heart of the kit, the engine. He cares for Action, a Kippsensor sets the direction and the motion sensor can capture light and objects. While supplies Lego already pre-programming processes. But it makes a lot more fun, his own experience to make your own steps to try and icons to their own liking and to move those commands to the hub via a USB cable from your computer to Lego Creature transfer. Should the propeller on the left or right turn? If the frog croak or would prefer a Knutschgeräusch of themselves?
Positive classroom tests
To the teachers of the quality to convince workshops will be offered. Initial tests in Germany took place in November and December 2008 in the second to fourth grades of elementary school-New Ulm-Offenhausen with a beta version instead. It turned out that constructing the team spirit of the class has strengthened even more striking and highly concentrated on students went through. Only the USB cable that is aligned on notebooks seems to be, came to the parties a little too short - the PC hardware facilities of local schools has lagged in improving U.S. schools sometimes significantly behind.
WeDo is an exciting and innovative learning tools in the recent past, but of course will be used in primary schools is not necessarily the subject of robotics very big on the curriculum occur. But the experiences are cross-fold, highly motivating and that the regular use value. Promoted creativity, logic, experimentation, concentration, mathematical considerations, paid from the expertise and computer science, but also the linguistic competence, the experience in words. Precisely on the issue of all-day and afternoon care WeDo will offer a meaningful present.
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