PART 1:Digital and computer control 

To know how a child learns become one!! Testing out the equipment! 

Computer control: Is to program the computer to do a job or to produce a device for example sensor's, light or movement detection. 

Inside the home                                                                 Outside the home
- light switch                                                                          - Traffic lights
- Microwave                                                                          - Car locking system
- Sky plus                                                                               - Electric gates
- Sleep mode                                                                          - CCTV camera's
- Central heating                                                                   - Barcodes
-Alarm clock
- Washing machine

Why do we use the computer to control things? hummmm..... well
Firstly like us humans they do not get tired 'zzzzzzzz.' they don't need coffee to keep there concentration. Mistakes computers 'do NOT make' UNLESS humans program the device wrong. Best advantages computers are repetitive they can complete something EXACTLY the same over and over and over again...... Lastly they are cheap. ( Problem: yes!! although they may be useful our job levels decrease as computers have taken over.) 


To make things work there must be a procedure. A procedure is a sequence of instructions or commands that a CPU (central processing unit) stores.
It is important that the procedure is written correctly so that things happen in the correct order. 


Program's that we can use in schools: 

ROAMER, PIXIES AND PIPS : The Roamer, Pixie, Beebot and Pippin are examples of a programmable robot. Children use these in the classrooms on many occasions (get to experience REAL scientific equipment ) They are good for demonstration many skills that children can develop on.

Skills:

• Shapes
• Angles
• Turns
• Communication (language)
• Co-ordinates
• Sequencing
• Prepositions (next to, between, on the left/right etc)
• Direction
• Spacial awareness

However misconceptions do arise and therefore need to be cleared up for example, the robot's are all program differently so the Bee bot a turn would not be a turn and then mover. Some children get this system confusing unless modeled to first. 

To extend the child: Give a route to the child, complex shapes.......

Beebot in action (Treasure map)                                  Beebot...travelling to form a square

Computer Monitoring 

Computer monitoring involves the use of sensors for two main purposes: 

1. As a scientific measuring tool to record information about environmental changes over a period of time. The resulting information can be examined in a table or as a graph. This is usually known as data logging. 
2. To provide feedback for a control system.

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Children can use the data loggers for many lessons (C.C) Data logger

• Investigations on temperature changes
• What temperature does a plant grow best in? 
• At what time is the traffic on Hendon high road the loudest?
• Are out ear muffs (made in D&T) effective?
• which material is a good insulator?

• Good use for Cross curriculum lessons (Literacy, geography, science... )
• Imagination
• Chance to plan an investigation
• Record results

Digital Microscope 

Before lesson : SHATTERED  

After lesson: As HAPPY as a kid in a candy shop