Category Archives: Robotics

IRB Approval

Posted on June 12, 2015 by JohnHeffernan

“You have approval from the College of Education Human Subjects Review Board and may begin your research.” I successfully defended my dissertation proposal last week and received Institutional Review Board approval yesterday. I will be starting videotaping of students doing … Continue reading →

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Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching

Posted on June 12, 2015 by JohnHeffernan

From the MA State House yesterday. Here I am standing next to Commissioner of Education Mitchell Chester receiving a plaque for being one of three elementary science teacher finalists in the state for a Presidential Award for Excellence in Math … Continue reading →

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WeDo Getting Started for First Grade

Posted on May 20, 2015 by JohnHeffernan

I have been using the LEGO Education supplied getting started activities for many years with my first grade students.  We do them together usually in circle.  Week one is the motor, week 2 most of the gears, and week 3 … Continue reading →

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EV3 iPad App

Posted on April 9, 2015 by JohnHeffernan

LEGO Education has released a free iPad app for EV3. I was fortunate to be able to do some curriculum consulting work on this project. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lego-education-mindstorms/id959374369?mt=8  

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Review of Elementary Robotics

Posted on April 7, 2015 by JohnHeffernan

My book got a nice review on LegoEngineering.com http://www.legoengineering.com/elementary-robotics-book-review/

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New Burglar Alarm Posters

Posted on March 12, 2015 by JohnHeffernan

Here are some nice example of grade 4 burglar alarm ad posters from this year.  Students have an open-ended engineering challenge of building a prototype burglar alarm.  Next, they design an ad poster and make a pitch at a simulated … Continue reading →

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Space Challenge Ready To Go

Posted on January 9, 2015 by JohnHeffernan

My enrichment students have finished building all the LEGO EV3 Space Challenge pieces and are ready to take on the challenge missions!

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Found This Note on a Robot Kit Today

Posted on October 29, 2014 by JohnHeffernan

    We found this note from two of last year’s sixth graders on one of the robotics kits.  It was very satisfying to find this note.  The two boys were so proud of their accomplishments. “This kit was the … Continue reading →

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Robotics Quick Update

Posted on October 4, 2014 by JohnHeffernan

Sorry I have not been posting much.  I spent a lot of time this summer working on my “comps” papers for my PhD.  This involved a robotics literature review and a write up of my pilot study, where I examined … Continue reading →

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Elementary Robotics Book Talk – June 19, 2014 – Meekins Library, Williamsburg

Posted on May 22, 2014 by JohnHeffernan

Author’s Talk John Heffernan Elementary Robotics: Sustaining the Natural Engineering Instincts of Children Thursday, June 19, 2014 7 PM to 8 PM 2 Williams Street, Williamsburg, MA 01341 413-268-7472 Toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners are natural engineers. They love sand castles, … Continue reading →

Posted in Child Development, Research, Robotics, Teaching, Technology | 2 Comments