Introduction
Guess what: you're going to use the Web for learning about robotics. And grabbing someone else's ideas without giving them a close look is worse than silly. Think of it as intellectual slavery. So let's break the chains.
You're going to explore the topic of Robotics. Each member of your team will become an expert in one part of the topic. Various members might be assigned to look at latest inventions, who use robots, different security needs, limitations, possible future developments. Provide an outline for the rationale of how your group's design satisfies various client's needs thinking about the audience and demographics for example. To do a good job, you might like to read the evaluation rubric for this WebQuest?
The Question
The main question you will be asked to find an answer for is:
You are working with a team of designers for a security service business. This service has a client base that includes businesses and domestic households. You are asked to provide an outline of a design for a security robot for either type of client. You will need to look at the designs and solutions of your competitors. Describe the features and uses of your teams ideas on a new improved security robot. Include sketches and a reference list for your ideas. Each team member should contribute expertise and design ideas to your design outline..
Background Information
Before becoming an expert on one aspect of this topic, we'd better make sure that everyone on your WebQuest team knows the basics. Use the links below to answer the six general questions: who? what? where? when? why? and how? Make sure everyone on your team can answer all the questions before moving into your individual roles. Remember to keep a journal of your goals and your findings each day.
A Scrapbook
videos, graphics
A Hotlist on robotics
News: new developments
A hotlist
Robots knowledge hunt.
Individual Roles
Now that you have some overall background knowledge, it's time to return to the main question for this WebQuest. Questions this big and important are better answered when a few people are working on it at one time. Things work even better when a group of you decide to look at the question from different perspectives. This way team members can become experts on different aspects of the question and then come together to poll their learning. This is where team work pays off. So are you ready to divide and conquer this question? Consider
inventions
Use the links below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions:
1)How are robots different to computers?
2) What are the 5 key elements in robot design for robots? What additional features will be needed for surveillance?
3) What are the designers claiming to be true for their new generation robots? (Hint look at video on Mars Rover)
- Available Kits
- News on security and robots
- universal robot activities, art
- Classroom activites
- Microchips implantable
- Artificial retinal implants designed to restore visual acuity in the blind
Help Page: Strategy for Analyzing the Parts of the Topic
history
Use the links below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions:
1) How have robots changed over time?
2) How can a robot learn to walk?
3) Why are implants innovative?
4) How does this link to Robots?
5) Find five facts about the latest Robots
- First robotics
Help Page: Strategy for Analyzing how the Topic Functions, Works or Interacts
Possible future developments
Use the links below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions:
1)What basic problems and needs do robots
serve?
2) How might nanotechnology and robotics merge?
3) How big is the latest microchip?
4) Can a robot look human?
- Science fiction or fact?
- Asimov's Three Laws
- irobot
- movie trailer
recent developments
Use the links below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions:
1) Predict some possible future developments.
- news on
- Audio on story on robots for real world applications
Group Synthesis
Congratulations! Your team is now full of expertise. Each person (or pair) on your team have become experts on the topic of Robotics. You've all learned a lot of information. But guess what, gathering useful information isn't the same as truly understanding a topic. What experts in the field of learning suggest is that you now use that information in a new and challenging way. Then you'll really know about this topic.
So with your team members all gathered together, carefully read and try answering the main question for this WebQuest. See where you all agree and where differences arise.
Use information, your pictures, movies,surveys using for example spreadsheets facts, opinions, etc you explored to convince your teammates that your viewpoint is important and should be part of your team's answer to the Task / Quest(ion). Your WebQuest team should create a presentation on the topic with content that everyone on the team can live with. IIn your presentation include opposing opinions on design elements and design applications and state the reasons given for your final agreed design if you managed to arrive at one.
Real World Feedback:
Conclusion
How did you answer the main question for this WebQuest? Did you discover any ethical dilemas concerning the use of robots? How might the work place, production line or warfare change in the near future for example? Have you made any predictions on future developments?
Are these predictions based on research into new technology such as microchips, augmentative devices, nanotechnology? You may also find it useful to look at the current work in genetic engineering and bio-robots. Have you checked the evaluation rubric to guide what you did?
You've sure put that gray stuff to the test. You gained background information, developed expertise in one particular area and got into some pretty expert analysis. It's funny, with each link between what you already knew and the new learning going on, you broke another different kind of link, remember the intellectual slavery we spoke about earlier? You're free! How will you use these ideas and strategies as you continue to grow and learn? Good luck.
