How many kids are in a group
21
How was the Matatalab robot(s) used?
In the first session we had an animal theme. We got to know the basic use of the robots by practicing to code them to greet animals. Then we added music, which needed to ring when the robot met an animal. After that we coded a robot to go around an animal a couple of times. Rest of the time the students were able to code freely. In the second session we tried the Artist Add-on sets. We revised basic geometry so the lesson was integrated into the mathematics curriculum. We made different kinds of geometrical shapes and figures. The final task was to make an own masterpiece with a group and this boosted and emphasized the importance of creativity and cooperation. Another content in mathematics was the repetition of the reading of time. The students placed clock dials (12 different times) on the platform and they picked up the corresponding written time and the task was to program the matabots to the right time. This simple exercise combined nicely with the math content and programming skills of the curriculum. We used programming as a learning tool in a fun and highly motivational way!
What skills did it develop?
Coding with the matatabots developed the following skills:
-sense of direction
-to follow rules
-critical thinking (was my coding right or not, why not)
-geometrical shapes
-reading the time
-cooperation
-patience
-interaction with peers
-problem solving
-creativity
What worked best and what was challenging?
It seemed that students understood the main principle of robots quite fast. They just tried and learned how to use robots. Students worked very well in cooperation with others. We were able to quickly combine learning objectives with programming.
How did students respond?
Students were very enthusiastic and at some point it was hard for them to listen to instructions because they just wanted to code. After the sessions students found out that coding was fun and it would be nice to do more coding with Matata robots.
Share your comments upon the class using Matatalab
During the pilot I as a teacher experienced cooperation with peers, happy faces, joy of learning new things and happiness when they figured out the solution. It was nice that we were able to boost creativity skills for my students. Robots were easy to use. There were tasks for all kinds of students, for them who just started coding and also for them who were at a more advanced level.
