Ozobot
Overview
The Ozobot is a color based programming, one-inch, 5 sensors, robot that designed for kids ages six and up to teach them the basics of coding & programming through play.
How do you use it?
- To use Ozobot one needs markers, clear play surface sheets, charging USB cable, and downloading free Android or iOS Apps. Or you can replace all these tools by Android tablet or iPad, Ozobot will perform on the screen!
- Draw lines on white sheets using thick markers (about 5mm thick), Ozobot sensors recognize black, green, blue or red markers only, press to turn Ozobot on, it lights up, put it on the line, it traces the line. You may use smart devices app (available for IOS and Android) Different color combinations signal it to go faster, slower, left, right, and so on.
- Ozobot instruction sets feature all of the color coding programs you can use to program your Ozobot yourself. And you can use the free app for even more fun.
- To make it even more fun, each Ozobot comes with 2 skins that you can snap onto your Ozobot to make him look unique and fun.
How can you use it?
- Getting Started and Tips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5d4iXGbIGs
- Ozobots lesson library http://portal.ozobot.com/lessons
5 lessons are available right now. Also the website provides higher order thinking examples for classroom like “Ozobot Challenge in Chronological Thinking”. In addition, fun takes part of the Ozobot usage “Ozobot Dance Party”
- Ozobot official Twitter account (@OZOBOT) https://twitter.com/OZOBOT
- Ozobot download and play printable games. Online http://ozobot.com/play/print-games
Benefits of the technology
Using Ozobot in many school classes will be an endless, smart choice “With Ozobot’s colorful OzoCode language, programming can begin at a very early age, long before writing textual code would be reasonable. Young minds can be creative and do so in a way that is fun and enjoyable!” (Dr. Richard Born / http://ozobot.com) but this is not limited to programming classes, I will encourage all teachers in K12 to use them to achieve variety of goals, which means I invite all teachers to use Ozobots to teach students skills they need to be successful. check them under Possible usage.
Possible usage:
Ozobots not only for programming or coding classes, teachers may use them to grow student’s skills and resolve some class problems, here is a list of some possible usage:
Possible usage:
Ozobots not only for programming or coding classes, teachers may use them to grow student’s skills and resolve some class problems, here is a list of some possible usage:
- Teaching students the basic of programming. Students will have a closer look on how coding effects Ozobots behavior, and how coding text looks like.
- In addition to programing skills, Ozobots will help students to strength communication and collaboration skills because they need to discuss new and inventive ways to code with each other. Teachers can use Ozobots to teach students these skills and help them overcome shyness and social anxiety.
- Ozobots are appealing to students, which increases students’ engagement.
- Help students gain problem resolving skills, and use these skills to solve complex, real-life business problems.
- Using Ozobots could help students be more focus.
- Teaching student to dance, yes Ozobots can dance.
- Ozobots can help in developing students’ deductive reasoning skills.
Weaknesses and advantages of the technology
There are some weaknesses and limitation to using Ozobot in classroom, starting from the cost, not every school in the district will afford to buy Ozobot for classroom usage (Ozobot classroom kits are $1200). In addition, to go beyond using Ozobot on paper sheet to advance students’ higher thinking skills the teachers must use sort of application, which means the class must have some smart devices, iPad will be the best choice for the classroom but not for the school budget. Also, Ozobots need to be charged prior the classroom, and they last for an hour only, which adds a new task to teachers’ tasks list. Furthermore, the tiny size of Ozobots makes stealing them from the school easy. Moreover, saving Ozobots from accidents and avoid breakage is not an easy goal to achieve due to their relatively weak body. I also noticed that Ozobot’s apps on Google play is not stable, that they have crashed and failed connecting many times.
Examples of how may this technology support teaching and learning
- Storytelling, students can use Ozobot to sequence the events and start storytelling, check this example pic.twitter.com/FOKH8OHOqJ.
- In history class students, can turn the historic events into live by sequencing the events using time line and let Ozobot stop in each event photo in chronological sequence.
- Use Ozobot in the first semester week to help students get to know each other, and exchange speech.
- Ask the students to use Ozobot in groups to help them be more focus, using Ozobot needs focus so it grows students’ focus skills.
- In ESL class use Ozobot to engage students in speech practice, students need to contact with their group members in English.
Research/resources on the technology
Tiny Bot Gamifies Coding.The article evaluates the Ozobot Bit and Ozobot Starter Pack programmable toy robots for children. And how the Ozobot engages kids in block-based programming. In this article you will find how to choose the appropriate Ozobot kit for your classroom and choose between two products, Ozobot Starter Pack, and the other choice the Ozobot Bit. He ends his article telling us about Ozobot experience in his classroom.
HANSON, JENNIFER1. "Tiny Bot Gamifies Coding." School Library Journal, vol. 62, no. 2, Feb. 2016, pp. 14-15. EBSCOhost, winthropuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eft&AN=112727126.
HANSON, JENNIFER1. "Tiny Bot Gamifies Coding." School Library Journal, vol. 62, no. 2, Feb. 2016, pp. 14-15. EBSCOhost, winthropuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eft&AN=112727126.
- Ozobot Hands On Review (YouTube video)
- OzoBot Review, The Robot Game-Piece With a Brain (YouTube video)