With the beginning of the new school year, three classes at the Istituto Comprensivo Viale dei Consoli School in Rome start work again on Project Building Wings – Inclusion of Children with Communication Disorders through Educational Robotics that is financed by the Regione Lazio.
The experimental educational robotics project for children with learning disabilities involves young designers in a cooperative work style based on “learning by doing.” This allows even the most fragile students to experiment solutions with their classmates. Moreover, an educational robotics expert coordinates their discussion, exchange of ideas and opinions and tests. This allows students to participate in challenges much greater than them and feel on par with scientists.
At the end of the year, with the help of teachers Marinella Farini and Donatella Tanzi (support teacher), the young designers had transformed the classic end-of-term performance into a scientific demonstration, explaining to parents and teachers how machine language works. Then, they challenged the parents to try their hands at coaching … with a special number 10. [see news: Robotic Recital].
Meanwhile, researchers at Tokyo University have developed Achires, a small robot that can run like a human being. Its maximum speed is 4.2 km/hour. Its short legs (14 cm.) mean that to reach this speed it has to take at least six steps a second!
Will students at theViale dei ConsoliSchool manage to keep up with Achires?
