Do Lego MindStorms Robots have a Future in CS Education?

摘要

Lego Mindstorms is an inexpensive robotics system consisting of a microprocessor brick, various sensors and motors, and numerous Lego pieces. It can be programmed in a variety of languages, including Java and C++. Since its initial release in 1996, dozens of papers have been written on its use in computer science education. In fact, a recent search for "MindStorms" in the ACM Digital Library produced 271 hits. Many of these papers describe its use, one way or another, in laboratory settings. Numerous workshops on its use in CS education have been held, attended by hundreds of faculty. Yet the platform's adoption is not as widespread as this level of interest would suggest. In fact, some early adopters of MindStorms have come to feel that the platform is not all that well suited to CS education, or at least that its supposed benefits have not been proven. This panel presents both pro and con positions on the use of MindStorms in CS education. Its goal is to engage the audience in a discussion of whether MindStorms can be used to good advantage as a pedagogical tool, and if so, in what contexts. The three panelists come to the discussion with differing experiences in using MindStorms in classes and with resulting differing views on its pedagogical usefulness. Michael Goldweber once employ MindStorms in his introductory courses, but has now come to believe that their use hinders learning. Barry Fagin is the developer of Ada for MindStorms, and has used MindStorms in a variety of course contexts. However, the results of a large study he ran showed no improvement in learning when MindStorms were used in introductory programming courses. Frank Klassner is the author of RCXLisp and has widely used MindStorms in his teaching. He remains a true believer in the pedagogical value of the MindStorms platform in CS education.