Robotics as an
interactive tool in education
Alexander Hofmann, Institute of Computer Science,
University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, Vienna, Austria
Pavel Petrovic, Department of Applied Informatics, Comenius University,
Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
Gerald Steinbauer, Institute of Software Technology, Graz University of
Technology, Graz, Austria
Aims:
The objective of the workshop is to give hands-on introduction to the
educational robotics
activities. The participants of the workshop will learn about the
various options of using
robots in schools, and will have a chance to experience building and
programming robots on their own.
Content:
Robotics has been used successfully as a tool in high quality
education for several years.
This includes wide range of activity styles. From introductory
activities through project education and interdisciplinary activities
to various contest activities.
The content covered by this workshop is:
Target group:
This workshop is intended mainly for teachers in secondary, and
primary schools, but we welcome also researchers, practitioners, and
didacticians interested in using robotics as a tool for high quality,
modern, and project-based education. We belive that the workshop can
stimulate fruitfull discussions
between practitioners doing education and researchers providing
concepts, methodologies and tools.
Knowledge expected of
participants:
The audience does not need specific knowledge in advance. The hands-on session will prepare teachers to use robots in class.
Workshop activities:
The workshop will consist of five 15-min talks on the topics described above, followed by a short break, and 90-minute hands-on building and programming session with a tutorial where participants can experience working with robots as a teacher and a student.
The Instructor:
Alexander Hofmann is a professor at the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien and Director of the Master program "Game Engineering and Simulation Technology". He has been co-organizing the RoboCup Junior initiative in Austria since 2007. In 2009 he organized the Austrian Open 2009 in Vienna as the qualification for RoboCup 2009 with more than 300 children participating from all over Austria.
Pavel Petrovic is an assistant professor at the Department of Applied Informatics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University. He has graduated from Norwegian University of Science and Technology in 2007, and has been working on several educational robotics initiatives, coordinates FIRST LEGO League in Slovakia, and has been involved in organizing RoboCup Junior and other robotics competitions for several years.
Gerald Steinbauer is a assistant professor at the Department of Software Technology at the Technical University Graz. He is general chair at RoboCup 2009 and has also been organizing the RoboCupJunior activities in Austria. Therefore he implemented the idea of regional centers in Austria, currently there are 6 centers working in the field of robotics for teaching purposes. He was organizer of the Austrian Open 2008 as qualification for the RoboCup 2008 in China.