About

Being a Mechanical Engineer Professor in Puerto Rico, I ended up collaborating with the local MSP Program (U.S. Department of Education's Mathematics and Science Partnerships Program), through the Faculty of Education at the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan (a program that provides professional development to educators with the goal of student achievement in math and science).


I was selected to be in charge of robotics workshops for elementary school teachers, that is where I discover the LEGO WeDo platform. LEGO WeDo is a great kit designed for the classroom with a number of activities for the teacher that covers what I could call STEM+A (science, technology, engineering, math, and arts). Working with a wonderful group of teachers, I decided to design new robots so they would have additional material for their students.  Since I know many teachers will also need new class material, I felt motivated to share new designs that go over the 12 original models already included.


I am not alone with the designs, my brother Osvaldo is heavily working in new surprising models, and he already surpassed me in number of models!

If you have any questions, or a especial request, feel free to write.


Siendo un Profesor de  Ingeniería Mecánica en Puerto Rico, terminé colaborando con el programa local de MSP (Programa del Departamento de Educación de EEUU para el aprendizaje de Matemáticas y Ciencias), a través de la Facultad de Educación de la Universidad del Puerto Rico en San Juan (un programa que provee desarrollo profesional a educadores con el objetivo de mejorar los logros en matemática y ciencia).

Estuve encargado de talleres de robótica para maestros de escuela elemental. Fue allí donde descubrí la plataforma de LEGO WeDo. LEGO WeDo es un kit excelente diseñado para el salón de clases con un número de actividades para el maestro que cubren lo que llamaría CTEM +A (ciencias, tecnología, ingeniería, matemática y artes). Trabajando con un grupo de maestras espectaculares, decidí diseñar nuevos robots para que ellas tuvieran material adicional para sus estudiantes. Ya que muchos otros maestros también necesitarán material para las clases, me sentí motivado por compartir nuevos diseños que van más allá de los 12 modelos que vienen incluidos.

No me encuentro sólo con los diseños, mi hermano Osvaldo está trabajando  muy fuerte en nuevos y sorprendentes diseños. Ya me ha sobrepasado en cantidad de modelos.

Si tiene preguntas o una petición especial, no dude en escribir

8 comments:

  1. Prof Romero - many thanks for such a great site!

    I have just bought WeDo for my son's 8th birthday. I didn't buy the software as it is rather pricey and my son enjoys programming with Scratch so I am hoping he will devise his own programmes to manoeuvre the devices he builds.

    However, I was very disappointed that Lego did not include any designs and build instructions with the WeDo kit I bought ... and the only free designs on their website require the WeDo Resource kit. So, finding designs and pictures of the builds on your site was a huge relief - I am very grateful indeed.

    What I wanted to ask is whether or not you plan to publish any Scratch projects or tutorials to accompany your wonderful WeDo bots. Hopefully my son and I will get some basic movement going but we might need some help on some of the more sophisticated techniques.

    Unfortunately, there are no programming or robotics opportunities at his school yet, so we are teaching ourselves at home!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Glad you found the blog helpful, that's the idea!

    One of my goals is to learn Scratch so I can post a few more goodies. Usually the software provided is best to motivate kids into learning something more formal, such as Scratch. Well, the software includes the guide you were looking, not just the how to assemble guide but how it combines with classes. The good thing about the WeDo software, is that it is really intuitive. There is no need to know any basics about programming. Fortunately, Tufts University has the guide online for you to check and decide (http://ase.tufts.edu/DevTech/courses/readings/WeDoIntro.pdf)

    Since you picked my curiosity, I started assembling a crash course on Scratch, still not yet for a post. This is my brief summary:

    BSP Robotics assembled a really nice intro about how to use Scratch and WeDo (http://bpsrobotics.wikispaces.com/file/view/scratch+wedo+tutorial.pdf). Even better, Barbara Ericson from Georgia Tech has the 12 original activities on Scratch! (http://home.cc.gatech.edu/ice-gt/uploads/62/Activities%20for%20LEGO%20WeDo%20With%20Scratch%20Scripts.pdf).

    I believe this can help you to start having fun. I see Scratch as the software for grown ups, so, I bet you that after practicing Barbara's tutorial you will be experts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Prof,

      Thanks for responding so quickly.

      I think Scratch will take you about 20 seconds to learn! Yes, I am sure the Lego software is very intuitive but it is expensive (in the UK at least) for home use like ours, and you only find out the assembly instructions aren’t included in the WeDo kit until after you’ve bought it. So, your site showing us how we could build the various models was a huge relief.

      My son taught himself Scratch at seven and a half. He’s quite good at maths and the feeling is that 9-11 year olds in the UK are at the maths level suitable for Scratch, though a numerate 7 year old can handle it with ease.

      Thanks for the BSP Robotics and Georgia Tech links to Scratch WeDo tutorials – they will be a huge help too.

      I’ll check back regularly to see when your Scratch crash course is up – and thanks for responding to my questions so positively, I really appreciate it.

      Delete
  3. Me encanta su blog, gracias por compartir los modelos. Soy formadora de LEGO Education y estoy acostumbrada a que los profesores a veces me comenten "es que ya acabamos los 12 robots y se nos ha quedado corto el kit". ¿Puedo encontrar en algún sitio el paso a paso de los modelos?¿ Tiene hay algún acompañamiento pedagógico para ellos? También trabajamos con scratch el concepto de narraciones digitales aumentadas. Saludos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hola Rocío, exactamente esa fue mi experiencia trabajando con los profesores. Por eso desarrollé los 6 modelos iniciales y sigo cuando el tiempo lo permite. A la fecha sólo tenemos los modelos pero esperamos incluir actividades para el salón de clase. Afortunadamente muchas personas han compartido actividades en internet, pero siempre queremos más! Hay tantas cosas en el tintero, como Scratch y un sinnúmero de diseños e instrucciones. Como muchos, quiesieramos que el día fuese más largo, o que la semana tuviese más días libres! Me gustaría conocer un poco más sobre las narraciones digitales y creo que a muchas personas también les interesaría conocer un poco. Gracias por dejarnos unas líneas y espero seguir en contacto. Un saludo.

      Delete
  4. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  5. How can we buy the instructions from you?...awesome work

    ReplyDelete