As the new scholastic year approaches, Lego Education is promoting its WeDo product that facilitates a hands-on, minds-on learning experience that redefines robotics for primary school students from seven years upwards.
WeDo encourages teachers to issue curriculum-based challenges that students must solve. Working in teams, the children invent their own solution by building a Lego model and programming it through computer software to perform a certain task.
Cause and effect learning is enhanced by the models remaining tethered to a computer; similar to scientists in working labs, children can test and adjust their programming in real time.
After reflecting on what did and did not work students can consult with peers, adapt programming, adjust models or begin again.
The WeDo concept creates a clear link between the virtual world (computers and programming) and the physical world (represented by models).
The complete package includes the usual Lego elements including gears and levers, a USB hub to connect to a computer, easy-to-use software to programme the object, and an activity pack CD Rom with up to 24 hours of instruction and 12 activities based on four themes: football, adventure stories, wild animal park and mechanical toys.
WeDo is designed to cover a broad range of curriculum areas, including language and literacy (narrative and story-telling), mathematics (measurements to build the object), science (working with machines), and technology (creating a working model and using software to animate it).
Lego Education solutions are based on a hands-on learning approach that actively involves students in their own learning process.
Instead of simply memorising the achievements and work of others, students are presented with challenges that encourage them to use their imagination, try out their problem-solving skills and cooperate with others.
Some of these solutions were officially presented to Maltese educators towards the end of the last scholastic year at a workshop organised by the Education Department.
Integrated Marketing Services Ltd is the exclusive distributor of Lego Education titles in Malta.
www.edukamalta.com