1 A Microworld Oriented Approach in a Multi-Functional Logo-Based Curriculum G. Bariamis, S. Chaimantas, Y. Kotsanis, L. Papathomaidi Doukas School Messogion 36-40, Maroussi 151 25 Athens Greece tel: (301) 6822500, fax: (301) 6818277 e-mail: [email protected]Abstract Through the microworld approach and the project-oriented activities we can enhance both the learning process and the educational applications. Our main aim, in this microworld environment, is to approach the problem solving process in a "human" way, without having to adapt our thinking skills to a computational aspect of view. The presented powerful ideas emphasize the use of Logo as a student-centered tool in a generative active environment. This paper will focus on four open-ended microworlds (polyspin, alphabet, lego-logo, speaking-turtle) that can be successfully included in any kind of computer-based curriculum or curricular school program (geometry, algebra, physics, etc.). These microworlds (except the last one) have been tested in our Logo-based curriculum which is included as an appendix. This curriculum has been resulted from an over-five year effort to introduce and apply a (one-hour per week, in a condensed way) class of Informatics into the school time-table, covering 4th to 8th grade. Keywords: Logo, curriculum, microworlds, alphabets, functional programming, multimedia George Bariamis was born in 1960. He received a degree in Electrical Engineering from Democritos University of Thrace. He has done post-graduate studies in Pedagogical and Technical School of Athens. He has also taken courses in Digital Electronics and Microcomputers at the Greek Center of Productivity. As a teacher of Informatics at Doukas School since 1987, he has been working with students from elementary level to high school level and also with adults interested in New Technology. Sotiris Chaimantas was born in 1960. He received a degree in Informatics at the Fachhochschule of Konstanz Germany. He has been working in the field of Informatics in Germany and Greece for 4 years. As a teacher of Informatics at Doukas School since 1989, he has been working with students from elementary level to high school level designing and implementing educational software as well. John Kotsanis was born in 1959. He has a degree in Electrical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and has done post-graduate research in Computational Linguistics. His interests include Educational Computing and Natural Language Processing. Logo Environments are of special significance to him. He is currently Co-ordinator of Department of Informatics at Doukas School. He is also active in software development and teacher training in various projects at Patras University. Lena Papathomaidi was born in 1960. She received a degree in Mathematics from the Physics & Mathematics Department of Athens University. She has done post-graduate studies in teaching Mathematics at the University of Paris VII. She has also taken courses in Educational Computing at the Greek Computer Society. She is currently teacher of Informatics at Doukas School. EUROLOGO '93, University of Athens, 28-31/8/1993
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1
A Microworld Oriented Approach
in a Multi-Functional Logo-Based Curriculum
G. Bariamis, S. Chaimantas, Y. Kotsanis, L. Papathomaidi
George Bariamis was born in 1960. He received a degree in Electrical Engineering from Democritos University of
Thrace. He has done post-graduate studies in Pedagogical and Technical School of Athens. He has also taken courses
in Digital Electronics and Microcomputers at the Greek Center of Productivity. As a teacher of Informatics at Doukas
School since 1987, he has been working with students from elementary level to high school level and also with adults
interested in New Technology.
Sotiris Chaimantas was born in 1960. He received a degree in Informatics at the Fachhochschule of Konstanz
Germany. He has been working in the field of Informatics in Germany and Greece for 4 years. As a teacher of
Informatics at Doukas School since 1989, he has been working with students from elementary level to high school level designing and implementing educational software as well.
John Kotsanis was born in 1959. He has a degree in Electrical Engineering from the National Technical University of
Athens (NTUA) and has done post-graduate research in Computational Linguistics. His interests include Educational Computing and Natural Language Processing. Logo Environments are of special significance to him. He is currently
Co-ordinator of Department of Informatics at Doukas School. He is also active in software development and teacher
training in various projects at Patras University.
Lena Papathomaidi was born in 1960. She received a degree in Mathematics from the Physics & Mathematics
Department of Athens University. She has done post-graduate studies in teaching Mathematics at the University of
Paris VII. She has also taken courses in Educational Computing at the Greek Computer Society. She is currently
teacher of Informatics at Doukas School.
EUROLOGO '93, University of Athens, 28-31/8/1993
2
A Microworld Oriented Approach
in a Multi-Functional Logo-Based Curriculum
Introduction
The experience we gained from an over-five year introduction and application of Informatics in
primary and secondary education has led us, apart from various subtargets, to a significant
teaching target: To develop the learner's ability in handling problems by planning, implementing,
testing, improving and finally comparing them to the desired result. This can be achieved by
choosing certain ideas and applications that will motivate the learner.
The use of microworlds and the powerful ideas they contain, has proved to be one of the best
means in this educational process. These microworlds can include the following features which
have been previously referred. They are:
- clearly defined parts of reality
- visualising and modelling process
- highly interactive and friendly
- able to manipulate, explore and be explored
- open-ended, extensible, cooperative, combinable
In the following chapters we will describe four microworlds (polyspin, alphabet, lego-logo,
speaking-turtle) that can successfully be included in any kind of curricular school program.
The Polyspin Microworld
The “polyspin” microworld is based on a very simple idea of designing complex patterns from a
series of movements and rotations on an initial pattern.
The experimentation with this microworld includes the following stages:
- a synthesis process, that is the description of a complex pattern from an initial pattern and a
“generation rule”,
- an analysis process, that is the detection of the initial pattern and the “generation rule” of the
given complex pattern, and
- a human repetitive process to achieve the desired goal through the trial & error approach.
We can use the microworld to design any kind of shapes (e.g. crystals, snowflakes, flowers, trees,
etc.), to experiment with the changes that produce the variables, to also include recursively
generated shapes and in this way simulate the nature.
The following procedures represent the basic structural elements of such a microworld (the initial
pattern may be a procedure or an instruction list):
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POLY :NUM :SIZE :INSTR, puts the initial pattern (3rd input) on the edges of the regular
polygon made from the number of its sides (1st input) and the size of them.
SPIN :NUM :INSTR, rotates the initial pattern (2nd input) as many times as the number (1st
input) indicates, until it returns to the starting position.
TURN :ANGLE :INSTR, rotates the initial pattern (2nd input) as many degrees as the number
(1st input) indicates, until it returns to the starting position.
The definitions of the procedures and sample examples are illustrated below (lcm function returns
the least common multiple of two numbers):
to poly :n :side :instr to spin :n :instr to turn :angle :instr
- Students work one hour per week in groups of three, aiming to a better result (rarely do their
work in couples which has proved to have created difficulties).
- The presentation of learning material takes place in the first quarter of the teaching hour.
Students use the remaining time to deal with the given tasks, using their worksheets accordingly.
- The evaluation of their progress is achieved through both their worksheets and the results of their work on the PC.
- The teacher takes an active part throughout the entire process, filling in, skilfully, the lack of
personal contact while students get oriented to the PC.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Y. Agellakis for the literary care of this paper, E. Marouka for her
contribution in the Alphabet Microworld, our students P. Christeas & V. Tsaousopoulos for the
multimedia support and Th. Kontonatsios for the telecommunication support, during the preparation of Eurologo '93 Proceedings.
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