Why robotics education can cultivate children's innovation

I. Robotics education is a platform for innovative education

1. Overview of robotics education.

Robotics education refers to the teaching and learning activities carried out with robots as the main teaching content or teaching tools, which are gradually accomplished in the process of concrete practice. Robotics education involves a number of technical fields such as computers, mathematics, physics, electronics, mechanics, communications, sensing technology, automation technology and software programming, etc. On the basis of mastering the basic technical knowledge and program construction, students are closely connected with the realities of life, and carry out innovative design and explore the organization and construction of robots and their practical applications through computers and network platforms, so as to cultivate their own innovative literacy, knowledge and skills , thinking and methods, etc.

2. Status of robotics education.

In foreign countries, robot education has been a hot spot. Japan, Germany, the United States and other developed countries, robotics education has long been included in the primary and secondary science and technology courses of study, extensive robotics courses and competitions are many students called "happy way of learning". A few years ago, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and other countries and regions also fully recognized the importance of robotics education, increased investment and research, and now has made great strides in the development and progress of robotics education.

China's robotics education started late, although in recent years, robotics education has also received considerable attention, often students out of the country, to participate in international robotics competitions, and achieved better results, but the scope of robotics education is still very narrow. Economically developed areas to carry out a wider range of robotics education, the economically backward areas are carried out very little; even in economically developed areas, most of them are carried out in the form of interest groups, with very few people involved, rather than a general course of study.

3. Robotics education is an effective carrier of innovation education.

To realize the goal of innovative education, it is necessary to change the stereotypical thinking and reform the traditional education model and method. The emergence of robots provides a brand new platform for innovative education, and there is almost no technical platform more suitable for innovative education than it. Robotics education is not only learning mechanical engineering, information science and other knowledge, but also an activity focusing on participation and experience, a process of cognition, analysis, creation, cooperation and experience.

(1) Cultivate students' innovative spirit.

Robot making is a very effective way to cultivate students' innovative spirit. Robotics involves a wide range of knowledge, through the study and production, students can expand their knowledge, understand the forefront of science and technology development at home and abroad, but also come into contact with a lot of new things, so that they are interested in science and technology, and greatly stimulate their interest in learning and innovation. In the whole learning process, students are direct participants, the teacher is only a facilitator to provide basic knowledge and information. From the design of the subject of the program development to the implementation of the program, the whole process is completed by the students independently, which can stimulate the students' interest in learning and desire for knowledge, so that their learning from passive to active, which can be very good to cultivate their spirit of innovation.

(2) Enhance students' sense of innovation.

Innovative consciousness is the prerequisite and key to creativity, and with consciousness you can seize the opportunity to initiate innovative thinking and obtain innovative results. The learning environment of robotics is not restricted by the traditional teaching mode, emphasizing autonomy and openness, fully respecting the student's subjective position, and trying to satisfy the student's desire to perform, which is extremely important for creating an innovative atmosphere. Students in a relaxed atmosphere, it is possible to produce creative inspiration from some ordinary things, in order to be original and innovative. Moreover, in robotics activities, to complete the same task, there can be different design solutions, can use different materials, can build different carts, can design different programs, which is also conducive to the cultivation of students' sense of innovation.

(3) Improve students' innovation ability.

Robotics education, relative to other subjects, it has no uniform teaching materials, no uniform teaching mode, just like a blank sheet of paper, can be used for students to write any way they want, which greatly gives play to students' imagination. Students can use a variety of ways to assemble robots, can be assembled into any shape, can be written through different algorithms program, robotics education will be the student's learning from "absorption - storage - reproduction Robotics education transforms students' learning from "absorbing - storing - reproducing" to "exploring - researching - creating", and allows students to feel, comprehend, and explore in thinking, which greatly improves their innovation ability.

Two, how to play the creative value of the robotics platform

1. Select equipment suitable for innovation.

There are many varieties of robotics equipment available on the market, including Lego, Guangmuda, Zhongming, Ziguang, Nayint, and so on. But for robotics classroom teaching, I think LEGO equipment is not a good choice. Because a lot of domestic robotics equipment, completely designed for the competition, the appearance, function, program and other aspects of the same, used in teaching, often lack of creativity, lack of attraction to students. The world's most popular LEGO blocks are known for their versatility. On the surface of the LEGO blocks, they seem to be plain and ordinary, but with a little effort, you can create something different, and LEGO blocks used to be promoted under the slogan "LEGO More Creativity". LEGO robotics equipment, on the basis of LEGO blocks added programmable controllers, motors and a variety of sensors, etc., and can be used in conjunction with all the LEGO blocks very well, y welcomed by robotics enthusiasts of all ages. In the robotics classroom teaching, the use of ever-changing LEGO robotics equipment, can maximize the development of students' creative literacy.

2. A variety of teaching modes.

(1) Robotics classroom teaching.

In the process of teaching robotics, due to the limitations of equipment and venues, students are usually required to co-ordinate arrangements, local materials, elaborate design, which greatly exploits the imagination and creativity of students. When the basics have been learned, the students in order to achieve a certain purpose, such as: design a better program, make a different robot, in the classroom competition to beat others to get good grades, etc., which requires students to make continuous attempts to boldly put in the new elements, which generates a sense of innovation. If it can be put into action and realized, it reflects the innovative ability. If you can properly mobilize students' enthusiasm and give full play to their imagination in teaching, the finished product may be inferior to many teachers, which is what we expect from education.

(2) Robotics competition.

Robotics competition is a good science and technology innovation activities, including fire, soccer, FLL and many other projects, and every year there are new competitions produced, y appealing to the robotics enthusiasts. The competition not only has an interesting theme, but more importantly, the openness of the design program, participants can use different methods to achieve the same goal, which can well develop the participants' sense of innovation and innovation ability. Robotics competition integrates popularization of science, fun, spectacle and competition. By completing the competition projects, participants initially learn to raise practical problems in daily life from the perspective of science and technology, stimulate their interest in learning, and guide them to actively explore unknown fields.

(3) Colorful robotics activities.

Carrying out a variety of robotics activities not only enriches students' cultural life, but also popularizes robotics knowledge and enhances their innovative literacy. For example, regular robotics exhibitions, robotics performances, and make full use of campus television, campus network, bulletin boards, theme class meetings to strengthen robotics publicity, not only can popularize the knowledge of robotics, but also stimulate the students' interest in learning.

3. Flexible and diverse teaching methods.

(1) Exploratory learning.

Robotics learning is in fact inquiry learning, each class students will be based on the classroom tasks of their own innovative inquiry to ensure that the task can be completed. In robotics class, students can be guided to explore and think by designing challenging themes, so that they can acquire knowledge and discover different solutions in the process of assembling and debugging robots, so that their independent learning ability, hands-on ability and creativity can be put to good use. Compared with pure knowledge teaching, the knowledge learned in the process of inquiry leaves a deeper impression. Therefore, teachers should also find ways to provide students with topics of interest to stimulate their enthusiasm for inquiry. Teachers should also encourage different approaches and ideas, and give full support to students' creative ideas or practices.

(2) Task-driven.

The use of task-driven methods in robotics teaching can be a good way to motivate students to think positively and develop innovation. At the beginning of each class, teachers should tell them the tasks to be accomplished in this class. With a clear task, students will try to find ways to work hard for the completion of the task; with the task, students will subconsciously mobilize all their energy to work hard for the completion of the task, which will be easy to succeed and easy to produce a spark of innovation.

(3) Group work.

Robotics teaching process, due to time constraints, one person often can not properly complete the task, so the use of group cooperation is not only conducive to the completion of the task, but also conducive to the generation of innovation. Students in small groups as a unit of innovative design, building robots, writing programs, experimental debugging, research and reflection, etc., and within each group according to the specific tasks of the division of responsibility. This teaching method is task-specific, flexible and autonomous, and highly operational. In the process of group cooperation, they have effectively constructed a knowledge system and creatively applied to practical activities, and through mutual discussion and cooperation, it is often easier to collide with the spark of innovation.

4. Correct teaching evaluation.

Correct evaluation and motivation is undoubtedly the greatest support for students' innovative activities. In the process of teaching robotics, teachers should often start from the actual, capture the flashpoints in the process of student activities, more praise, less criticism, more affirmation, less negative, so that each student in both relaxed and happy and intense and enthusiastic state of learning and making robots. At the end of each activity, praise and encouragement should be the main, timely and correct evaluation, so that each student can maintain a strong desire to do it from beginning to end, and develop a good habit of positive innovation, bold hands. Teachers should cherish the creativity of the students, encourage students to explore, speak freely, express their views, new and different, and more affirmation of the students' innovative points, so that they pay to the sweetness of innovation, more positive to innovation.

In 2002, our school started to research and explore robotics education, and in 2004, robotics teaching was formally incorporated into regular teaching as a school-based program. Since the launch of robotics education, our school has won many awards in various types of robotics competitions at all levels: 46 first prizes in the province, 26 first prizes in the national robotics competitions, and awards in international competitions, the third runner-up, to achieve the province's leading domestic first-class, out of the country's door goal. The reason for such brilliant achievements is that through the platform of robotics education, students' innovative literacy and comprehensive practical ability have been improved to a great extent.

The future society is a society of innovation. In the process of students' growth, we educators should not only teach them knowledge, but also cultivate their innovative literacy, so that they can become innovative talents adapted to the development of the future society. Robotics education, a platform that provides us with a rich innovative space, which no longer stays in the laboratory, but is integrated into the learning and life of students, so that they can gain practical experience through hands-on and hands-on practice, which is of great significance to the cultivation of their comprehensive application of ability, innovation and team spirit, etc. It has a profound impact on the education reform and development of robotics in China, and it is really a full garden! It is really a unique flower in the garden!