Children, Cybernetics, and Programmable Turtles by Fred Martin Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Children, Cybernetics, and Programmable Turtles by Fred Martin Massachusetts Institute of Technology Submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology August 1988 ( Fred Martin 1988. All rights reserved. The author hereby grants to MIT permission to reproduce and to distribute copies of this thesis document in whole or in part. Signature of Author - Department of Mechanical Engineering August 12, 1988 Certified by . ·- ~"~'~ - - Seymour Papert, Thesis Supervisor Professor of Media echnology - _ Accepted by - ~ ~ - ----- Woodie Flowers, Thesis Reader Professor of Mechanical Engineering Accepted by Ain Sonin Professor of Mechanical Engineering MASSAiiUSt,. 1TSii'STIT'd OF TENOLOGY SEP 06 1988 LArchives Archive' Children, Cybernetics, and Programmable Turtles by Fred Martin Massachusetts Institute of Technology Submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology August 1988 Abstract A microworld to support investigations of cybernetics is developed, con- sisting of a miniature computer programmable in Logo, called the "Logo Brick," a:lc mobile mechanical vehicles built of LEGO plastic parts. These "Programmable Turtles" are equipped with various sensors, including touch sensors and light sensors. A series of experiments with these materials is performed with two groups of elementary school children, aged from twelve to fifteen years. The children design behaviors for the Turtles by writing Logo programs and building materials in the Turtles' environment. The children encounter several powerful ideas in cybernetics: feedback, multiple levels of analysis, and object/environment boundaries.
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