Development Labs

With inspiration from the presentations, each LEGO Engineering Symposium participant will work in the development labs.  The development labs are run on the first two days of the symposium and an overview of the results of the labs are presented on the final day of the symposium.  Each participant selects a single development lab to participate in on the first two days.   Each participant will choose 1 lab to participate in on day 1 and a different lab to participate in on day 2.  Each lab is comprised of two sessions each day.

 

Climate Theme Labs

 

I:  Climate Change: Making it Concrete for Young Children

Description: In today’s environmentally conscious world, even young children (ages 5-9) have heard the words “Global Warming”.   However, climate change involves small changes in over a long period of time that may not be perceptible or developmentally accessible to young children.  This development lab will explore ways to use the LEGO tools to help children build understandings that will support their understanding of climate concepts as well as explore possible ways to make the subtle changes involved in climate change more tangible to young children.

Toolset: WeDo, NXT, NXT-G, Basic LEGO materials

Target Participants: Educators of young children (ages 4-9)

 

II:  Climate Change: Data-logging as Entry Point 

Description:  The NXT is not only a great robotics tool but makes data logging with a host of sensors accessible to children. This development lab will focus on understanding which NXT sensors can be used to measure factors related to climate change.  Participants will also explore other ways to use data logging related to climate change such as helping students understand the concept of small changes having a large impact and quantifying behaviors that help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions (turning down the thermostat, washing in coldwater, installing different insulation/windows). 

Toolset:  NXT, Various Sensors (Vernier) NXT G Version 2.0, LVEE

Target Participants:  Educators of children age 8 and through college

 

III:  Climate Change: Renewable Energy as Entry Point

Description: C0₂ emissions are caused by the burning of fossil fuels for transportation, energy and heating. Reduction of C0₂ emissions is a key to the reduction of excess greenhouse gasses which contribute to climate change.  One of the ways to reduce C0₂ emissions is to think about alternate sources for energy.  This development will focus on thinking about ways to engage students in thinking about how alternate sources of energy work and how they can be used to design products that have fewer C0₂ emissions.

Toolset: NXT, NXT-G 2.0, LVEE, LEGO Education Elab products

Target Participants:  All educators

 

Tipping Point Labs

 

IV: Tipping Point: Multiple Representation of the same Idea

Description: Educators who have used LEGO products in the classroom are often pleasantly surprised that a student that typically struggles in school excels at the hands-on tasks.  This surprise highlights the fact that many children struggle to express their knowledge in the traditional forms (writing) used to assess children’s knowledge in school.  This development lab will explore alternate forms of representation that children can use to demonstrate what they have learned in school to help them reach a Tipping Point of understanding that can be communicated to educators. 

Toolset: SAM Animation software, LEGO Materials

Target Participants:  All educators

 

 

V:   Tipping Point: Construction of Knowledge: Facilitating vs. Instructing

Description:  If you could pour knowledge into student’s heads, the job of being an educator wouldn’t be so complicated.  However, anyone who has taught knows the skill of helping students construct knowledge is developed over time and involves a delicate balance of facilitation and instruction.  This development will look at how educators can reach Tipping Points with students by helping student’s express their thoughts and ides through metaphorical LEGO models and in that process balance different modes of instruction.

Toolset: LEGO Serious Play Materials

Target Participants: All educators

 

The expected outcomes from the Climate theme development labs are:

·      Ideas for the classroom activities, learning sequences, curricula)

·      Insights into available LEGO Education materials for the theme

·      Simple Guiding Principles for a developing a good Climate activity

·      Dialogue and networking

 

The expected outcomes from the Tipping Points theme development labs are

·      Deeper understanding of the Tipping Point challenge

·      Concrete skills for facilitating Tipping Points

·      Simple Guiding Principles for a Tipping Point Strategy

·      Dialogue and networking

 

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