Early Age Electronics Education with Electronics Kit

510-656-1803 ed

A Design Study Proposal

______

Cognitive Design Project Study Proposal

ED 333A

Edmund Shen

Huiping Liao

Wuping Lu Introduction

The information technology boost requires experts: electrical engineer, computer engineers, software engineers, network administrators, database administrators, web-site developers, electrical/ mechanical technicians, programmers, and more. All of these occupations root in the knowledge of electronics. Learning the knowledge of electronics at the early age will strongly motivated students on acquiring professional awareness in technology domain. How can our build up the basic conceptual understanding for children when they are still in elementary school or even in pre-school? How can we transfer the complicated electronics theory to be easy understood for children? How can we build up their interesting, motivation, and curiosity, which may lead their future resolution to study technology related major in colleges and universities, and finally become an expert? One solution to this problem might lie within a specific case found using Kid Inventor Electronics Kit for early education with specifically designed learning materials.

Learning Problem

Background of the Product: The Kid Inventor Electronics Kit Series are designed for kids study electronics with FUN! Finishing an electronic project is more fun and easier than a puzzle. Circuit projects are stimulating to youngsters by allowing them to create different music, sounds, whistle, light, flash, turning fan, radio, and more. Among the hundreds of exciting projects, below are a few examples:

 Controllable Music Doorbell  Lighting Star War Game  Radio Emitting Station (allows you to hear your music from a AM radio)  Amusing Lie Detector  Movement-Sensitive Burglar Alarm  Adjustable Sound-Light Metronome  Blow-to-dim Lamp  IC AM Radio

"I made a Radio!" Kid feels really proud of himself! The Kid Inventor Kit Series presents hundreds of projects with a variety of control methods such as manual, light, magnetic, sound, water, and motor. It is an outstanding choice for ages 6 through teens because it provides experience with basic electronics and enhances their interest and creativity. Learning as they play...Kids love it. Further more, using the experience and knowledge they gain from these projects, youngsters may enhances the performance on their science classes and school projects with their own experimental circuits, and appreciate the rich and colorful world of electron. Every project in the kit can be visually and mentally stimulating to youngsters through the creation of different music, sounds, whistle, light, flash, turning fan, radio, and more.

The Special Snap Connections style of this kit makes circuit connection and assembly easy and secure. No solder, no wires, just "snap", "snap", and DONE!

Utilize different control methods, such as light, manual, water, sound, touch, and movement, and provide different circuitries in similar function to stimulate youngsters imagination.

There are two versions of Kid Inventor Kit, BASIC and Advanced, available on website and toy stores. The BASIC version presents 120 projects for ages 6 and up. The ADVANCED version has more advanced components and more complex circuits, with 320 projects presented for ages 8 and up. The EXPERT version, with 1000 more projects, is in the design phase.

The challenging is the Instruction Manual Design. That’s the key problem.

Problem Approach: How can we design the instruction material and the projects to be easy to understand by children without any electronics knowledge and concept? Bring up their interesting, curiosity, and motivation? The problem in our study will focus on the material design.

Learning Goal ----Ed :

Understand the basic electronics circuit and standard symbols.

Learning Principle -----Wupinp/Huiping

Proposed Study--- Wupinp/Huiping

The purpose of our study is to use a cognitive lens in evaluating the learning environments.

The course is taught in lecture format during 50 minute classes. The class lectures are about the size of 30 students.

Methodology-- Wupinp/Huiping

Pre-Study Survey The purpose of the pre-study survey is to determine the skill level of the student, their confidence in learning or in which they already know, and their motivation and interest level in electronics. Post-Study Survey:

Interviews:

Observations:

Assessment: Based on the data above, we are hoping to determine what aspects of the learning environment in Kid Inventor electronics kit.

Potential Findings -----Wupinp/Huiping

Proposed Solution ----Ed

The circuit layouts are physically identical with the diagrams in the manual. Some beginning level projects have 1:1 scale diagrams. It is very straightforward and easy for kids to understand the circuitry and check their projects.

Assembly Method Design 1. ID: Each component block in this electronics kit is printed with an ID code, for example, (16) represents Photoresistor.

2. Layer: The multi-layer assembly structure is employed on the clear breadboard. In circuit diagrams, you can find ID and layer number on the side of each component. The number on the right side represents different layer.

Possible Science Camp Program: The Creative Electronics Kits have been introduced into many schools and summer science camp. We did initial study at SmartKid School, in Fremont California with the class entitled introduction to basic Electronics, named “E-World: Electric, Electronics, and Circuits” The focus of the course is to teach students the basic concepts for electronics when the chidden play with the kit. The course schedule described as following:

E-World: Electric, Electronics, and Circuits Using KID INVENTOR Electronics Kit, Learning as kids Play! Fun, fun, fun Class!!

Class Schedule 2 Basic E-World Class (Grade 1-3. Use Basic K120 Kit)

1. Electricity Power Project: DC Power, Basics Light Circuit. 5 19 3 15 18 19 2. Conductor, Non-Conductor, Semi-Conductor Project: Conductor Tester. Coin, Plastic, Silicon Wafer 3. Relay and Magnetic Field Project: Magnet, Iron, Reed Relay Circuit 4. Voltage and Current Project: Multi-Sets Battery Circuit, Simple Equation 5. Resistor Project: Current Restriction by Resistors 6. Motor Project: Fan Circuit, Helicopter 7. Circuit in Parallel and Circuit in Series Project: Circuit in Parallel and in Series 8. Diode Project: Diode/LED Circuit 9. IC Chips, Speaker Project: Music Doorbell 10. Light Sensor, Photoresistor Auto Streetlight: Light Sensor Circuit 11. Water Sensor Project: Rain Detector, Leak Detector 12. Sound and Vibration Sensor Project: Control Circuit by Movement Sense and Vibration Sense 13. Sensor Applications Project: Music Birthday Card, LED Mail Box Indecator 14. Alarm Circuit Project: Alarm Chip Circuit, Burglar Alarms 15. Flash Light Circuit Project: Chip-LED- Light, Alarm Flash 16. Music/Sound Mixer Circuit Project: Music Alarm Circuit 17. Creative Project Final Project

Advanced E-World Class (Grade 3-6. Use Advanced K320 Kit) 1. Logic Basic 1: Project: AND Gate and OR Gate 2. . Logic Basic 2: Project: NOT, NAND and NOR Gates 3. Transistor and Amplify Principle Project: NPN and PNP Transistor Circuit 4. . Capacitor Project: Charge to Flash Principle 5. . Capacitor Delay Project: Auto-off Garage Light, Delay Fan. 6. Sound and Capacitor-Resistor Circuit Project: Multiple Tones Generator, Horn of Tantanic 7. Transistor- Capacitor Circuit Project: Electronic Metronome 8. Sensor Signal Amplification Project: Amusing Lie Detector 9. Microphone Project: Simple Sound Amplification, Karaoke Indicator 10. Microphone Applications Project: Blowing off Light Bulb, Lazy Fan 11. Amplifying Circuit Application Project: High Volume Oscillator, Movement-Sensitive Burglar Alarm , Adjustable Timing Lamp 12. Antena and Atena Coil, Radio Signal in Air Project: My Music Radio Station 13. Remote Control Project: Intruder Radio Alarm, Remote Car Alarm 14. Variable Resistor Application Project: Adjustable Telegram Key, Blow-to-Dim Lamp 15. Simple Radio Project: Transistor AM Radio 16. Amplifing IC and IC Radio Projecct: Volume Adjustable Super AM Radio 17. Creative Project Final Project, Using extention wires.

Conclusion------Wupinp/Huiping

References

Greeno, J. G., Collins, A. M., & Resnick, L.B. (1996) Cognition and Learning. Handbook of

Educational Psychology, 15-46. Macmillan Library Reference USA.