Micro-Robots Based Learning Environments for Continued Education in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

New Search

Print Abstract

E-mail Abstract

Full Text

Save to My Collections

Export Citation

Leroux, P. & Vivet, M. (2000). Micro-Robots Based Learning Environments for Continued Education in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 11(3), 435-463. Charlottesville, VA: AACE.
Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/8385.

• Share:
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Journal Information

Journal of Interactive Learning Research
ISSN 1093-023X
Volume 11, Issue 3, 2000
Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)  Charlottesville, VA

More Information on JILR

Authors

Pascal Leroux, Martial Vivet, l’Université du Maine, France

Abstract

One of the main problems in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is the adaptation of their production process to keep their markets. The improvement of the process is often realized by the introduction of new technologies such as more fully automated machinery and computers. Therefore, training has been designed to prepare workers for the future by helping them use these new technologies. Since 1989, for training people in this context, we have developed learning environments and defined a pedagogical approach, called ATRIUM, which is based on the use of pedagogical micro-robots driven by computers. The micro-robotics activities aim at helping learners discover technology by handling, building, designing, and driving micro-robots through a project-based pedagogical approach. The role of the trainer is to set up and manage the activities of several learner groups (each group is composed of 2-3 persons). We have experimented with a first generation of learning environments using LOGO as the software to drive the micro-robots. Beyond the effectiveness of the approach, we observed that our environments created an overload for the trainers (we say over-appeal) because they had different roles to play. We chose to decrease the trainers' over-appeal and improve their work by increasing the autonomy of the learner groups and by having a better interaction between the computer and the human actors. We have designed and developed pedagogical assistant software, called ROBOTEACH, which cooperates with learners during the micro-robotics activities and helps the trainers manage the sessions. ROBOTEACH is actually diffused and used in professional training in SMEs.

Keywords

• Training
• Computers
• Human Computer Interaction
• Robotics
• Software

Also Read

• Supporting E-Learning with Technologies for Electronic Documents
• Usage Analysis in Learning Systems
• Learning Objects in Context
• e-Learning platforms for Semantic Web
• Computational Intelligence in Web-Based Education: A Tutorial
• Getting Ready For Mobile Learning—Adaptation Perspective
• Introducing a framework-oriented approach to develop an intelligent tutoring system
• A Framework for Developing Adaptive Personalized eLearning
• Emboddied Agents in E-Learning Environments: An Exploratory Case Study
• The GET-BITS Model of Intelligent Tutoring Systems

Tags