EDUCATION

Students today live in a world completely different from that of previous generations. The rapid development of technology and the penetration of intelligent devices in every dimension of everyday life and social context makes it necessary to prepare students for life in the 21st century. Creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, communication and collaboration are fundamental skills that today’s students should be equipped with.

TekTrain aims to provide students, parents and teachers with a new object of thought, a tool with which the student will be able to build knowledge as he explores its applications in authentic usage scenarios. The aim is to provide a comprehensive educational proposal with pillars of experientiality, teamwork, interactivity and energy. In this context, students are asked to design, develop, implement and share their own solution to open problems, taken from images and experiences of their daily lives. Thus, knowledge and practices in the field of robotics are interconnected, and students manipulate both the hardware – through the optional adaptation of sensors – and the software – through the programming of device behavior and the integration of intelligent functions in it – understand the function of robots, their artificial intelligence and their interaction with the environment, while developing computational thinking skills, such as abstract and synthetic thinking, pattern recognition and algorithm design.

The user manual of the TekTrain web platform is available at https://tektrain.web.auth.gr/documentation/students

 

 

TekTrain application design software, as an educational robotics provider, provides a range of scalable training missions designed for elementary school students. The logical organization and the details of their description are based on the current educational needs, as they arose after sessions with teachers who are relevant to the subject of educational robotics. It is provided grouped in thematic units, educational material that aims at the gradual learning of the graphic-building blocks for the programming of the robotic device as well as their combination. The platform includes seven educational modules.

1) Treasure hunt

 

Difficulty level: Easy

Short description: The student is asked to navigate a play mat, following the path that will lead him to the hidden treasure. The route is divided into stations, each of which is a different mission. The sequence of transitions from one station to another is of escalating difficulty, starting with a straight forward movement, gradually introducing more complex routes that require changes of direction and ending in a movement following a line. The purpose of the challenge is to familiarize the student with the “RobotMotion” programming block and in particular with the type of movement with a “simple statement of direction”. In addition to navigating the mat, the student becomes familiar with the terms “TurnLedOn”, “TurnLedOff”, “Sleep”, “Talk” and “DisplayEmotion”.

Materials: Play mat “Treasure Hunt”, TekTrain Device

Number of training missions: 8

Scenario

 

You are ready to start your journey in search of the hidden treasure. Follow the route, find the items, collect the items you need and reach the island where the precious chest is hidden. Good luck!

1st educational mission (1.1):

Objective: – The student should plan the execution of a straight forward movement for a certain distance

Directions: Start at your home and go to the bridge two blocks away. There you will find a glass bottle with a message hidden inside. It is the first element that will help you move on.

2nd educational mission (1.2):

Objective: – To schedule the execution of a straight forward motion for a specific time

Instruction: You did it. The bottle with the first item is in your hands. You open it and read the message: “The key that opens the chest is hidden somewhere in the forest. To find it, start from the bridge and go straight for x seconds. “

3rd educational mission (1.3):

Objective: – To plan the execution of a backward movement

Instruction: You followed the instructions to the letter and found the key. But you realize that you are in the middle of nowhere. Reverse and return to the bridge before getting lost in the woods.

4th educational mission (1.4):

Objective: – To plan the execution of a movement with a change of direction

Instruction: To dig out the hidden chest you will need a shovel. Follow the path you see on the map and go to the wooden warehouse.

5th educational mission (1.5):

Objective: – To activate and deactivate the photodiode carried by the TekTrain device.

– Use the term “Sleep”

Instruction: You are in the warehouse. It ‘s dark in here. You can not find the shovel. Turn on the lights, wait a while to locate the shovel and then turn them off.

6th educational mission (1.6):

Objective: – To plan the execution of a movement with two changes of direction

Instruction: You found the shovel and now you have everything you need. Go to the pier to board the boat.

7th educational mission (1.7):

Objective: -To plan the execution of a movement following a line (follow line).

Instruction: Follow the path that will lead you to the treasure island.

8th educational mission (1.8):

Objective: – To plan the pronunciation of a text written by the student himself

-Program the display of emotion on the touch screen of the TekTrain device

Instruction: The trip was difficult and long but you managed. The hidden treasure is now yours! Say what you think and show how you feel.

 

2) Against time

Difficulty level: Easy

Short description: The student is asked to travel a distance with the TekTrain device and then travel the same distance in less time. The purpose of the challenge is to familiarize the student with the programming block “RobotMotion” and in particular to understand the difference between the two types of movement, movement with a simple statement of direction and movement based on speed.

Materials: TekTrain device, colored adhesive tape, stone

Scenario

We create an X on the floor with the colored adhesive tape, to indicate the starting-exit. We measure 3 meters distance and place the stone to indicate the location of the gemstone.

1st educational mission (2.1):

Objective: – To plan the execution of a movement in the desired direction

Instruction: Archaeologist Mole discovered a gem by digging deep into the cave. Now he needs your help. He asks you to go with your car to help him transport the stone. Drive the car to where the stone is.

2nd educational mission (2.2):

Objective: – To plan the execution of a movement with a definition of speed

Instruction: As soon as the loading was completed, the cave began to collapse. You have to hurry. You have x seconds to drive the car back to the exit.

 

3) Geometric shapes

Difficulty level: Easy

Short description: Students draw geometric shapes with the TekTrain device. The purpose of the challenge is to familiarize students with the RobotTurn programming block, and in particular with the rotation of the device based on the desired angle in degrees. There are three variants of this challenge, depending on the degree of difficulty.

Scenario

 

1st educational mission (3.1):

Short description: In this challenge, the student plans the formation of an equilateral triangle.

Materials: TekTrain device, cardboard, marker, adhesive tape

Objective: – The student should plan the movement of the TekTrain device in the desired direction.

– To program the rotation of the TekTrain device based on the desired angle

Instruction: Use the adhesive tape to attach a marker to the device, as shown in the illustration. Next, program the device to draw an equilateral triangle on the cardboard.

 

2nd educational mission (3.2):

Level of difficulty: Moderate

Short description: In this challenge, the student plans the formation of an equilateral triangle using the “for” repetition structure.

Materials: TekTrain device, cardboard, marker, adhesive tape

Objective: – The student should plan the movement of the TekTrain device in the desired direction.

– To program the rotation of the TekTrain device based on the desired angle

– Detect patterns and use the “for” iteration structure

Instruction: Use the adhesive tape to attach a marker to the device, as shown in the illustration. Next, program the device to draw an equilateral triangle on the cardboard, using up to x commands.

 

3rd educational mission (3.3):

Level of difficulty: Difficult

Short description: In this challenge, the student plans the formation of an equilateral triangle using the “while” repetition structure and the “counter” term.

Materials: TekTrain device, cardboard, marker, adhesive tape

Objective: – The student should plan the movement of the TekTrain device in the desired direction.

– To program the rotation of the TekTrain device based on the desired angle

– Detect patterns and use the “while” iteration structure

– Use the “counter” meter

Instruction: Use the adhesive tape to attach a marker to the device, as shown in the illustration. Next, program the device to draw an equilateral triangle on the cardboard, using the “while” command and the “counter” counter.

4) Music Score

The student is asked to program the robot to play a musical score. There are 3 variants of this challenge, each with a different degree of difficulty:

Scenario

1st educational mission (4.1):

Difficulty level: Easy

Short Description: In this challenge, the student is asked to program the robot to play a musical score.

Materials: TekTrain device, stave with notes (see Appendix B), music score (see Appendix C), musical instrument or video on youtube to play the sounds

Objective: -The student should record sounds with the TekTrain device

-Play sounds previously recorded with the TekTrain device

Instruction: – Use the robot to record the seven notes you see on the stave. In each audio recording, give the name of the corresponding note.

– Then use the notes you recorded to play the musical score.

 

2nd educational mission (4.2):

Level of difficulty: Moderate

Short description: In this challenge, the student is asked to program the robot to play, at a standstill, a musical score in which instead of notes there are colors.

Materials: TekTrain device, stave with notes (see Appendix B), music score (see Appendix C), A4 glue, markers, musical instrument or video on youtube for playing the sounds

Objective: -The student should record sounds with the TekTrain device

– To play sounds previously recorded with the TekTrain device

-Use the camera to detect stationary color device

– Use transition conditions (eg, if you see red, play do)

Instruction: – Use the robot to record the seven notes you see on the stave. In each audio recording, give the name of the corresponding note.

Assign each recorded note to a color and then capture the musical score you see on an A4 glue using the colors instead of the notes, as shown in the example.

– Program the robot to read the colored notes and play the colored musical score you created.

 

3rd educational mission (4.3):

Level of difficulty: Difficult

Short description: In this challenge, the student is asked to program the robot to play, on the go, a musical score in which instead of notes there are colors.

Materials: TekTrain device, stave with notes (see Appendix B), music score (see Appendix C), A4 glue, markers, musical instrument or video on youtube for playing the sounds

Objective: -The student should record sounds with the TekTrain device

-Play sounds previously recorded with the TekTrain device

– Use the camera to detect the color device

-The student should plan the movement of the TekTrain device in the desired direction.

– Use transition conditions (eg, if you see red, play do)

Instruction: – Use the robot to record the seven notes you see on the stave. In each audio recording, give the name of the corresponding note.

Assign each recorded note to a color and then capture the musical score you see on an A4 glue using the colors instead of the notes, as shown in the example.

– Program the robot to move from one end of the colored music score you created to the other, reading the colored notes.

 

5) Rock, Paper, Scissors

Difficulty level: Easy

Short description: The student creates the classic game “stone, scissors, paper” with the robot as a teammate.

Materials: TekTrain Device

Scenario

Objective: – To introduce new designs to the TekTrain device via the touch screen

– Display new user drawings on the screen of the device

– Insert randomness into an application

– Use touch detection sensors

Instruction: – Learn from the robot three new designs that you will draw on its screen (a stone, a pair of scissors, a piece of paper). In each design, give the name of the corresponding object.

– Program the robot to randomly display on the screen one of the three designs you created in the previous mission, each time you press the button.

6) Playing with emotions

Short description: The student develops applications that incorporate emotional interactions between the user and the device. There are 3 variants of this challenge, each with a different degree of difficulty.

Scenario

1st educational mission (6.1):

Difficulty level: Easy

Short Description: In this challenge, the student programs the robot to randomly display an emotion each time he sees a person.

Materials: TekTrain Device

Objective: – To introduce randomness in an application

-Program the display of emotion on the touch screen of the TekTrain device

– Use the camera to detect faces

Instruction: Program the robot to randomly display an emotion on the screen each time it sees a person.

 

2nd educational mission (6.2):

Level of difficulty: Moderate

Short description: In this challenge, the student programs the robot to display on the screen the emotion reflected in a person’s expression.

Materials: TekTrain Device

Objective: -To use the camera to detect emotion from an image

– Manage application variables

– Program the display of emotion on the touch screen of the TekTrain device

Instruction: Program the robot to understand the emotion in a person’s expression (joy, sadness, crying, excitement, neutral emotion) and display it on the screen.

7) Alarm

Difficulty level: Easy

Short description: The student is asked to program a guard robot, which if it hears a sound or sees movement in space will signal an alarm.

Materials: TekTrain Device

Scenario

Objective: – To use the camera to detect motion

– Use a microphone to detect sound

– Record and play sounds with the TekTrain device

– Use Boolean logical operators

Instruction: Program a guard robot, which if it hears a sound or sees movement in space will signal an alarm.

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