Utilizing Technological Innovation to Improve the Problem-Solving Skills of Middle School Students - One Group of Educators' Experiences with the Lego-Mindstorms ® Robotics System

摘要

A two-tiered teaching example is illustrated. In the first tier, teachers problem-solve with their peers. In the second tier, a camp is conducted for middle school students to solve the same problem with the teachers running the camp. In the fall of 1998, members of the mathematics department and the Institute for Interactive Technologies of Bloomsburg University met to discuss a problem of mutual concern: student difficulty determining the best way to begin to solve a problem, even when a given problem is derived from applications of simple mathematical concepts. Students often voiced feelings of frustration and confusion when approaching a problem and when questioned, fully understanding the problem solving process. In an attempt to find a nontraditional method to encourage students to understand the importance of approaching problem solving as a process, the group applied for, and subsequently received, a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The grant was to support the creation of an innovative problem-solving course which would utilize a combination of logic, “hands on” experience, and a modicum of trial and error; all employed to help students identify the processes behind effectively solving problems. The course was carefully designed to target middle school students. Students interested in innovative technology and, more importantly, at a critical point in their development of their attitude and aptitude when it comes to problem solving skills were the target audience. The group of Bloomsburg educators utilized the grant money to develop a course that could be taught to local middle school teachers. The key component of the course was the inclusion of a new product of the Lego Corporation called Mindstorms. The Mindstorm system is a programmable robotics kit that utilizes an interfaced computer program to enable students to design, construct and manipulate their own robotics. The idea was to introduce the system to middle school teachers, familiarize them with the system’s operations and benefits, and then to encourage them to utilize it in their own classrooms. To this end, the University used a substantial portion of the grant to purchase ten Mindstorms systems and then donated them to the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit for classroom teachers to borrow. During the summer of 1999, a group of eight middle school teachers representing as many school districts enrolled in the resultant course entitled “Implementing Lego Mindstorms in the Middle School Classroom.” The course proved to be as innovative as the Mindstorms system. The first week (20 hours) of the course involved familiarizing the classroom teachers with the Mindstorms System. Teachers were given a multitude of demonstrations, asked to experiment with the product, and were given technical support when needed. The teachers were then brought together for a series of discussions concerning the educational value and practicality of the system. They discussed the benefits of using the product within the classroom and explored ways in which the product could be introduced into the curriculum. The course was also designed to explore various problem solving techniques as well as the examination of the question of why students become frustrated and confused when presented with exercises that involve solving mathematical problems. The course also discussed ways in which the Lego Mindstorms robotics system could foster a heightened level of enthusiasm among students, encouraging them to examine their own thought process as they approach problems. The course also examined the benefits of the system as it relates to cooperative learning and group problem solving. The course addressed ways in which the Lego Mindstorms robotics system could be most effectively implemented within the teachers’ classrooms. Finally, the course provided the teachers with an opportunity to implement the program with a test group of students. The second week (30 hours) of th