Robotics Club: February 15, 2019

Introductions

On February 15, 2019, the Robotics Club started by introducing new club members. Then we reviewed the lesson from our first meeting which included the first stages of the engineering design process (Define a Problem & Brainstorming) and the relationship between circumference and revolutions to distance moved. Then we applied this understanding by measuring the circumference differences between wheel sizes and how far they moved in one revolution. 

Related Vocabulary

circumference, speed, steering block, display block, revolutions, design, Applied Math, measure, wheel, motors, data wires, blocks, programming, control unit, distance, and commands

What did we cover & do?

• Define Problem
• Brainstorming
• Building

The main parts we focused on relating to the first problem were the control unit, large and medium motors, data wires, wheels, and the rest of the Lego building blocks. Next, the students brainstormed and worked on their first prototypes.

By the end of the meeting, all the students built EV3 robot prototypes that will meet the design specifications stated in our problem. 

Next Robotics Meeting

During our next meeting, on February 22, 2019, the students will be introduced to the programming environment as well as the internal workings of the large EV3 motors. We are also going to cover how to display objects on the control unit. 

If we have time, we may work on converting their circumference measurements to revolution commands for the large motors that will get them the required one meter of distance.

- Loren Marvin, Robotics Instructor

Prototypes-in-Progress

The Importance of a Calm Mind!

How We Start Our Day

At PDC, stretching and calming exercises happen every morning at 9:00 am. The students and the teachers gather in the recreation room on exercise mats and are led into stretching and breathing exercises. On average, most students take two to three weeks before they are able to sit still for 10-minutes without being distracted.

Why do we do this?

We have designed the beginning of our day as a form of therapeutic pre-scheduled maintenance called “Calm & Concentration”.  We realize the importance of our students’ physical/proprioceptive needs as well as explicitly practicing interventions that help them to regulate emotions.

What we do?

We start each session in the morning by focusing our attention on how the mind can interact with the body by doing a light set of stretching or Yoga poses. We focus on being present with and controlling our bodies while challenging ourselves through balancing and building muscle strength that is required for a long and healthy life. The tension and rhythm of the stretches give our minds plenty to focus intently on while we also practice breathing smoothly and appropriately. As we do balancing poses, students are challenged by engaging both sides of their body and the associated parts of their brains that control their dominant/non-dominant motor controls. For many of them, this is the first time in each day that they are paying “attention” to the intricate details of what goes on in their bodies. 

After stretching, we practice 10-minutes of concentration meditation. The students are asked to find a relaxing position to stay in for the whole 10-minutes (usually sitting or lying on their backs). They are then instructed to focus all of their attention on their breathing and how each part of their body responds to every moment of the in and out breaths. For instance, they may focus for a few breaths on how their toes may tighten on the in-breath and loosen on the out-breath, or whether there is any tightness at all in their toes. The key is to stay focused on the interactions of the breath with the body for as many continuous moments throughout the 10-minute period.

We have designed this activity to be advantageous for the cultivation of long continuous focus necessary for learning complex activities and reducing mental disturbances throughout the day.

- Loren Marvin, Lead Teacher 

Robotics Club: February 8, 2019

Introductions

On February 8, 2019, the Robotics Club re-started its second-semester meetings. The meeting was started by having the students Introduce themselves and share two important facts they would want others to know about them.

Engineering Design Process

The engineering design process is a series of steps that engineers follow when they are trying to solve a problem and design a solution for something; it is a methodical approach to problem-solving. 

After introductions, we discussed the concepts of the Engineering Design Process: Define the Problem, Research/Brainstorm, Draw/Design Solutions, Test/Record Date, and Communicate Results

Open-Ended Design Projects Versus Following Design Instructions

The club participants and I also talked about open-ended design projects vs. following design instructions.

Open-ended design in STEM has been shown to have a positive impact on retention, stimulates interest in engineering and enhances communication, team-building skills, and time management skills.

Last semester, students followed premade design instructions for robots that were designed for the specific purposes of the Lego Design team. This semester, students are using an open-ended design concept. At the beginning of each project, they work together to identify the goals and specifications for the project. Each project is designed to incorporate both aspects of technology that students have previous knowledge of and many aspects that they do not have knowledge of. This allows space to build structured lessons into the powerful format of individual creativity that must be used by each student to solve the Problem through their own Brainstorming, Designing, Building, and Testing phases of the process.

What did the students do?

During this first meeting, we defined our goals as Design, Build, and Test a robot that:

1. Moves autonomously exactly 1 meter
2. Uses at least 1 Motor
3. Uses wheels for locomotion
4. Displays the distance traveled on the robot’s screen

We covered how to translate basic robot controls (Turn Motor __ Revolutions) into real distances. This was done by measuring the circumference of the wheels that will be attached to the motors. We did these measurements together to master the skills. We used a couple of wheels, a string, and a ruler to measure the circumference. Then we proved through many trials that the circumference is equal to the distance traveled in 1 revolution.

Using this newfound knowledge will be valuable in the design and planning stages of club participants' solutions, along with other new knowledge and skills. We will also explicitly cover how to program the robot interface to display information gathered from the motors.  But FIRST…..We design!!

- Loren Marvin, Robotics Instructor

Our next meeting is February 15, 2019.

Why We Do What We Do!

PDC attended the 10th annual camp & resource fair hosted by Ingrid & her team from Mikey's Place.

During the resource fair, I met providers, family members, and parents with similar concerns. One lady, in her 60s, approached our table and asked, "Do you have any programs or activities for my 44-year old autistic daughter?". I perused through the volumes of resources & information that myself & Birgit Fisher post on Houston Autism Resources & Support and I came up with nothing. The lady told me her daughter worked part-time and had a job as a mail sorter prior to that. She also told me that activities and programs for adult autistics were scant. My mind started racing. I realized the lady standing before me could be me in 20 years! My autistic daughter is, currently, 13-years old. She is the reason Mr. Loren Marvin and I founded Paradigm Development Center (PDC).

I locked into this lady's words like my life depended on it. She went on to tell me that things never really got easier, she just got stronger. She grew as her daughter grew from one year to the next. She said that for years she has been connected to the same group of people who also have adult loved ones on the spectrum. I am very thankful to have met her and even more thankful she was so willing to share. It's always productive to gain real insight from people that are experiencing similar life circumstances. This insight is valuable because at Paradigm Development Center (PDC) we understand that this is a long-term educational journey, for our students. A journey that more than likely will not end at 18-years old. We are preparing our students for the 18 to 50 years AFTER they complete the formal education required by the state.

Workplace readiness or college readiness is at the center of our focus. We know that academics alone will not and is not assisting our student population to grow and reach their full potential as independent adults. Did you know that up to 85 percent of college graduates on the autism spectrum are unable to find and maintain stable employment? This article highlights ONE reason.

Each day, at PDC, we focus on academics equally as much as we focus on office skills, workplace or college readiness, social mannerisms, psycho-social management skills, self-awareness, and problem-solving skills. Every lesson and every activity at PDC is not just to educate but also to provide our students with the skills to survive in a society that may not understand them. A society, I might add, that typically doesn't want to understand them.

At PDC, we understand the importance of bringing awareness to others about autism. However, we also understand this is not necessarily an immediate reality that will have positive effects on our students. The bottom line: We teach our students where they are so they can slowly transition into society. Yes, society should be accepting but realistically society is not always accepting. We must accept this fact and move past it by teaching our students how to succeed.

The lady, from the resource fair, shared a reality that all parents of students on the autism spectrum must face. She said, "There is not one day I haven't worried about how my daughter will survive when I die". This reality is the driving force behind everything we do at PDC!


- Maranda Marvin. PDC School Director