Making for Teachers: a New Chance for Simple Physical Learning Objects ?

A first exploration

Construit 2017Making, thinking and learning in the digital age

University of Warwick, July 14 2017

Daniel K. SchneiderAssociate professor of educational technology

TECFA, Faculty of Psychology and Educational SciencesUniversity of Geneva

http://tecfa.unige.ch/DKShttp://edutechwiki.unige.ch/

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.http://tecfa.unige.ch/tecfa/talks/schneide/construit2017/ (slides)

1. Context and objectives

Digital design and fabrication

3D printing

Laser cutting

Computerizedembroidery

……..

To createpedagogic

objects(teachermade)

To create designs (student made)

and learnthrough it

Today’s talk

Not in the talk

Vynil cutting

Why «teacher making»?1. Some teachers may encounter situations where they

want students to «make». If you plan coaching or tutoring, consider learning «making». Creating objects for one’s own use is a good motivatingway to start…

2. To create educational objectsthat should should trigger cognitive and social processes thatare good for learning

2. Some theoretical foundations for learning with things and others

Following the review of Zuckerman (2006) on constructivst learning objects

1. Learning by manipulating and constructing

Fröbel, 1782-1852• “Gifts” to experiment

Pestalozzi, 1746-1827• Learner autonomy and responsibility• “head, hand and heart”

Papert, 1928-2016• Mindstorms (1980)• LOGO (1967)

The construction kit stimulates learning through manipulation. It:• Invites using it.• Is intuitive,• adaptable / flexible,• robust.• Create larger objects

from small ones

Key idea: Promote learning

through hands-on interaction

Piaget• Constructivism

Locke, 1632-1704• Sensory experience

Rousseau, 1712-1788• Romanticism

Montessori, 1870-1952• “Materials”

2. Activity-based learning

Leontief, 1903-1979• Activity theory (USSR)

Activity theory (Scandinavia)• Expansive learning

(Engeström, 1987)

Vygotski, 1896-1934• Socio-constructivism• Zone of proximal development Learning happens through activities, i.e.

reflection of social knowledgeActivities are:• hierarchical: activity (needs, motivation),

action (goal), operation (task);• focused on objects carrying culture;• mediated by tools carrying culture;• continuously developed/adapted.

Nardi, 1995 (use in HCI)

Key idea: Learning takes

place in a social, cultural and

material contextKarl Marx, 1818-1883 Pavlov, 1849-1936

3. Hands-on, “real-world” projects

Freinet, 1896-1966• Learner-centered inquiry-based learning• Collaborative work, creating products

Real-world experience(printing press, field trips, ….)

• Responsibility of the child (participation)

Dewey, 1859-1952• Structured learning through experience

(hands-on, real world projects)• Guided learner-centered pedagogy• Connecting subject matters to prior

knowledge and experience

Fröbel Herbart (1776-1841

Freire, 1921-1997• Balance of action and reflection• Dialogue, creating autonomy

Key idea: Learning through interaction with

the “real world”, doing projects with some learner autonomy.

Kilpatrick, 1871-1965

• Project-based learning• “hands-on”• Connect with real world

• Teacher as guide

• Respect of autonomy

3. How can we support active learning with

manipulatives ?A short synthesis

Educational “manipulatives”

1. A basic set of elements and operations,2. that can be combined (like words and sentences in a language).3. Ready for exploration.

Manipulatives/expressive media favor learning: • by manipulation and discovery and/or• by providing structure to activities• By inviting dialogue

90 min. workshop on defining roles for team work (including prototyping role tokens),July 12, 2017, SDG Summer School, UniGE/Tsinghua

Engagement in thinking and collaboration with manipulables can help shaping construals

Passive vs. digitized objectsPhysical kits,(Fröbel gifts, Lego, puzzles)

Augmented kits with electronics(Lego-Mindstorms, Cricket, ..)

Micro-worlds, (Logo, Scratch, )

Simulations and serious games.

Ease of production

☺☺☺ ● ● ●

Ease of use ☺☺☺ ☺☺ ☺ ☺☺

Reliability ☺☺☺ ☺☺ ☺☺ ☺☺

Cost ☺☺☺ ● ☺ ☺

Focus on essential

☺☺☺ ☺ ☺ ☺

Monitoring in classroom

☺☺☺ ☺☺ ☺ ☺

….. ● ☺☺☺ ☺☺☺ ☺☺☺

Passive objects cannot do everything, but there is a good range of applications for them

4. Example projects by our EdTech students

Two optional classes

STIC III (2016):1. Common «wake up

project»2. 2D drawing / laser

cutting3. Create tools for

group work4. Co-production of a

virtual book5. Demo event

STIC IV (2015):1. Common «wake up

project»2. 3D programming /

printing3. Create constructive kits4. Create common

resources5. Hackfest & demo event

Overall learning goals:1. Design physical tools, test and document2. Learn some design and fabrication technology3. Share/ collaborate

Learn programming principles

instructions

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_III_(2016)/Programming_Boty

Programming supports

map

Programming Boty

Target population• Primary target: kids from 6 - 12.• Secondary target: Adults (programming novices).

Framework• Inspiration : Lightbot video game, inspired by Bill the Robot.• Theory

• Montessori pedagogy => Manipule to learn abstract concepts.• Autonomy and Collaborative learning.• Unplugged activity: is fail safe, allows to focus on some specific points.

Ojectives• Learn 2 basic programming principles: instructions, procedures and calls.

Learn programming principles (cont.)

Learn chinese words

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_III_(2016)/H%C3%A0nz%27up

Alternative communication with children that have cognitive trouble

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_IV_(2015)/Pictos3D

list of words

sentence

Learn about map topology

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_III_(2016)/Topo-kit

Learn the latin alphabet

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_III_(2016)/Les_lettres_de_l%27alphabet

Large molecules and small drugs

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_IV_(2015)/COX_et_ses_drugs

Cox proteine

Drugs that fit

Nutrition education -food pyramid

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_IV_(2015)/Pyramide_alimentaire_constructible

Sales person training

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_IV_(2015)/Le_Jeu_DD

Assemble a global phone/cable TV offer

5. Two contributions of myself• Playing with extensions to Lego• Terrain modeling

(1) Doblo factory

A set of OpenScad modules to • generate Lego and Duplo-compatible

bricks.• To build structures by combining and

positioning

http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Doblo_factory

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:33001https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Lego-compatible_thesis_project_board

(a) Thesis project board (visualization of advancement)

(b) Castle kit

Not educational per se, but can be used to teach function calls + some other programming constructs(learners create their own towers)

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2141175

(2) Visualize terrain from GIS datafor teaching risks

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/3D_printing_of_digital_elevation_models

Isola di VulcanoItaly

6. Results and speculations from teaching design and fabrication to EdTech students

(Since 2011, cohorts of 15-20 students/year, some do teach)

Observations:• 2D (laser cutting, vinyl cutting, embroidery) is easier than 3D

printing. But both need some training• 3D printing has technical problems (slicers, mechanics,

filament printing constraints, very slow)• Nice variety of things created and multiple activities

suggested for most kits produced, student engagement• Most of the objects created fall into three categories:

• innovative projects with good potential for use, • ‘safe’ objects (puzzles, models and matching pairs) • and non-pedagogic symbolic or physical games.

Is there research on teachers using digital fabrication to create learning materials ?• None (or very hard to find)• However, there are many examples shared in various

repositories (some made by teachers)• One article in Blikstein (2016) by Susanna Tesconi (p.112)

Working hypothesis for further explorations: • Digital manufacturing allow teachers to create objects that are

useful (effective) and usable.• Design of physical tools leads to teachers to think educational

activities in a different way.• Digital design and manufacturing has the potential to help

transforming pedagogies in a range of areas

Slogan:

Constructivism for teachers !

Thank you for listening

• Questions ?• Comments ?• Your own work / experience ?

Further reading and linksZuckerman, Oren (2006), Historical Overview and Classification of Traditional and Digital Learning Objects MIT Media Laboratory,https://llk.media.mit.edu/courses/readings/classification-learning-objects.pdf

Mitchel Resnick et al. (1998) Digital Manipulatives: New Toys to Think With. http://web.media.mit.edu/~mres/papers/chi-98/digital-manip.html

Michael Knoll (1997). The Project Method: Its Vocational Education Origin and International Development, The Journal of Industrial Teacher Education, 34. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JITE/v34n3/Knoll.html

Blikstein, P., S. Libow Martinez & H. Allen Pang (eds). Meaningful Making: Projects and Inspirations for Fab Labs + Makerspaces, Constructing Modern Knowledge Press, (2016).http://fablearn.stanford.edu/fellows/page/meaningful-making-book

Links to our own workhttp://tecfa.unige.ch/tecfa/talks/schneide/construit2017/ (slides of this talk)

http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/stic3-2016 (STIC III class 2016, in french)https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/stic4-2015 (STIC IV class 2015, in french)

https://www.thingiverse.com/danielkschneider/ (some simple creations I made)

• Schneider, D. (2015). Visualisation de projets de thèse avec un dispositif physique et constructif, Actes de la conférence EIAH2015, Agadir. http://tecfa.unige.ch/tecfa/talks/schneide/eiah-2015/Schneider_EIAH2015-lego-final.pdf

• Schneider, Daniel (2017). Création d’outils pédagogiques personnalisés par fabrication numérique, Actes de EIAH2017. http://tecfa.unige.ch/tecfa/talks/schneide/eiah-2017/schneider-2017-outils-pedagogiques-making-reprint.pdf

• Boufflers, L., S.Linh Quang & D.Schneider, Initiation à la pensée informatique avec le jeu de plateau Programming Boty, Atelier "Apprentissage de la pensée informatique de la maternelle à l’Université : recherches, pratiques et méthodes", EIAH'17 - 6 juin 2017 -https://wikis.univ-lille1.fr/computational-teaching/wiki/actions/2017/aii-eiah/home

• Kamanda, Yeelen Maole & Daniel K. Schneider (2017). Aspects motivationnels d’un dispositif technopédagogique pour la géométrie des solides, Actes de EIAH2017.

7. Your turn !Ideas to take home

Recall:Any experience with passive tangibles (as teacher or from childhood memories) ?

1. …2. ….3. ….

Let’s design (1)

• Design a constructive kits that supports learning some basic facts, concepts, skills, procedures (avoid facts if you can …)

Let’s design (2)

• Image a kind of workshop, seminar, team meeting, etc. that should lead to productive outcomes.

• Image roles that you could distribute to participants so that they listen and engage actively.

• Image a physical tool to help you with that

Let’s design (3)

• Image a planning situation (e.g. PHD thesis, family activity, keeping your body in shape, plan a course, homework for your child, …)

• Image tools that will visualize both planning and current state.

Technology:

3D printing• Cheap hardware• Free software

Embroidery:• Rather cheap hardware• Very expensive software

Laser cutting:• Very expensive hardware• Free or cheap software

Vinyl cutting• Very cheap hardware• Rather cheap software