Lego Mindstorms Robotics in a (Very) Small Liberal Arts College

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Lego Mindstorms Robotics in a (Very) Small
Liberal Arts College

• Ellen Walker
• Computer Science Dept.
• Hiram College

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Hiram College Environment

• Residential, undergraduate liberal arts college
• Around 875 students, More than 50 women
• Popular majors are education, management and
  biology
• 4 CS faculty, about 35 traditional majors

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Mindstorms Robots at Hiram

• Alumni gift in 1999 6 kits
• First-year colloquium courses 1999, 2003
• Artificial Intelligence student project 2000
• Would like to use in other courses
• but see Constraints later

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First-year Colloquium (FRCL)

• General education course, chosen by topic
  (independent of major)
• Maximum 15 students per section
• Writing across the curriculum (also critical
  reading, presentation)
• Introduction to college life, liberal arts

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Colloquium Assignments

• Oral presentation Robot Article
• Paper Fantasy Robot
• Paper Research Proposal
• Journal Mindstorms Lab Notebook
• Group oral presentation Our Robot
• 1999 - Recycling Challenge
• 2003 - Robot Pet Show

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Mindstorms in the Colloquium

• 9-12 class hours for robot labs
• Lab exercises
• Structural integrity (weak box / strong box)
• Drive train, programming (draw a square)
• Programming with sensors (follow the road)
• Team Design Programming Challenge

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1999 Robot Recycling Competition
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2003 Robot Pet Show
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Changes from 1999 to 2003

• Science fiction theme -gt Robot friend
• Competition format to exhibition format
• Inspired by Turbak Berg Robot Design Studio
• Hoped to attract more women (but did not)
• Merge teams after first 3 labs for final project
• 2 kits for more creative projects
• Earlier introduction of Mindstorms
• but never enough time in lab!

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Whats Next?

• Would like to use robots more!
• AI, CS 1, New robot course
• Hope to stay current with hardware, software
  curriculum
• Very small liberal arts colleges must deal with
  many constraints

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Constraints Money

• External donation bought first kits
• No budget for maintenance
• Upgrades
• Replacement parts
• Batteries (covered by Colloquium slush fund)
• Cover with lab fees?

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Constraints Time

• Small college faculty must be generalists
• Never enough time to perfect a course
• 5-6 preparations per year
• Most courses taught every 2-3 years
• 9-12 preparations over a 3 year period
• Major revisions needed every 2-3 times

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Constraints Staffing

• No graduate students (TA or RA)
• Limited availability of undergraduate TAs
• All course alumni have graduated
• Exception first-year courses, including
  Colloquium
• No departmental laboratory staff
• HW / SW too specialized for college computer
  center staff

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Constraints Space

• No dedicated labs, just general purpose
  classrooms
• Robots in locked closet when not in use
• Students keep kits at home during project time
• Lab use after hours requires faculty / TA
  supervision

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Questions?