An Experience-Based Robot Making Course Cooperated with a Regional Science Class for Elementary School Students

摘要

An experience-based education program for elementary school students has been planned and is acting in this year. This education program is carried out by a partnership consisting of a national college of technology and a regional science education center, and designed for learning how to make a robot mechanism with a function corresponding to a given theme. The theme which is decided based on aiming to keep students' motivation high, includes a mini robot contest. Due to time constraints, commercially available mechanical parts kits are used as a material for making robots. In addition, teaching assistants (some students who have been adequately experienced robot making in NHK robot contest) are active effectively. Based on the above, this paper presents the concept, the design and the progress of the education program.