How To Train Your Robot • Hacker News Board

Re: How To Train Your Robot

#11

Post by paged90 » Sat, Apr 14, 2012, 5:27 PM UTC

I think this is a critical, and maybe the most fundamental, part of programming. It's not just how well you understand a language, but the entire process of translating what you want to do into a set of instructions.

Once you can do that in a useful and meaningful way the computer just becomes a tool to implement your ideas.

Re: How To Train Your Robot

#12

Post by clintjhill » Sat, Apr 14, 2012, 6:00 PM UTC

This reminds me of a lot of classes where we never touched a computer. Instead we drew our programs on paper and then tried to write the programs to make them on screen.

If it weren't for Logo, I don't know if I'd have ever grown to love programming: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo_(programming_language)

Re: How To Train Your Robot

#13

Post by trevorgeise » Sat, Apr 14, 2012, 6:05 PM UTC

Really great. Thanks for sharing this. It's a terrific way to get parents involved, and a really nice explanation of what programing is. I'm curious about what the next steps would be for kids this age.

Re: How To Train Your Robot

#14

Post by Shank » Sat, Apr 14, 2012, 6:12 PM UTC

The really awesome part is that there's an element of fun, e.g. controlling your parent, to the whole thing that adds to the experience. If it were a game or something else, it'd have a lot less interest and appeal at that age.

Re: How To Train Your Robot

#15

Post by ChuckMcM » Sat, Apr 14, 2012, 6:16 PM UTC

Awesome idea. I once used the idea of using each kid as an instruction (we had the instructions written on 3 x 5 cards) and did the 'towers of hanoi' problem by lining the kids up and then having them go up, do their instruction and then go to the back of the line.

I agree with Shank though, the idea of being able to drive you parent around is really a great kid hook in this case.

Re: How To Train Your Robot

#16

Post by joshontheweb » Sat, Apr 14, 2012, 6:52 PM UTC

Strange. Since I posted this as 'best way I've seen to teach kids programming' the title has suddenly changed to what it is now.

Re: How To Train Your Robot

#17

Post by nmichala » Sat, Apr 14, 2012, 7:15 PM UTC

I'm really happy that my class has gotten all of you excited about this and thank you all for your great comments. You guys have inspired me to keep going. I'm planning more classes with more advanced topics. Whenever I have something fresh I post it on my facebook page www.facebook.com/drtechniko. I would love for you guys to get the conversation going on there as well.

DrTechniko

Re: How To Train Your Robot

#18

Post by nmichala » Sat, Apr 14, 2012, 7:17 PM UTC

Thank you Josh for putting my work out there for all our fellow geeks to see :)

Re: How To Train Your Robot

#19

Post by bostonOU » Sat, Apr 14, 2012, 7:23 PM UTC

nmichala wrote: post #17

I'm really happy that my class has gotten all of you excited about this and thank you all for your great comments. You guys have inspired me to keep going. I'm planning more classes with more advanced topics. Whenever I have something fresh I post it on my facebook page www.facebook.com/drtechniko. I would love for you guys to get the conversation going on there as well. DrTechniko

How much time did you give to the activity? I'd love to do this with some of the kids I tutor but I'm not sure if we'd have time.

Awesome work!

Re: How To Train Your Robot

#20

Post by joshontheweb » Sat, Apr 14, 2012, 7:30 PM UTC

nmichala wrote: post #18

Thank you Josh for putting my work out there for all our fellow geeks to see :)

No problem, really like what you are doing!