The Educational Robotics for STEM project, funded by the European Commission, aims to develop a continuous framework for the design of educational robotics activities for all children aged 7-18, both in and out-of-school, regardless of current interest in STEM subjects. In this presentation we explore the development of virtual robots (SLurtles) and the virtual environment in which children will explore, test and extend their understanding of mathematics and programming, through collaborative, constructionist learning activities. The research aims to explore the potential of virtual worlds for providing an alternative robotics experience for children by examining the creations, collaboration and learning that goes on in both the physical and virtual learning environments. This presentation was given at the 2016 Opensim Community Conference.

1. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972
Virtual Robotics: Creating,
Collaborating and
Constructionist Learning in a
Virtual World.
Sleepy Littlething
RL: Dr Carina Girvan
School of Social Sciences
Cardiff University
@cgirvan
Pathfinder Lester
RL: John Lester
Consultant/Contractor
@Pathfinder
Presented at the OpenSimulator Community Conference
December 11, 2016
Session info: https://opensimulatorcommunity20162882.sched.com/event/8yI8
Video Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQMDrB8HTV0

2. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972
Overview
• Background to virtual robotics project
• Why OpenSim and the design of the
environment
• Slurtles: Programmable robots in OpenSim
• Next steps
• Q&A

3. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972

4. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972
Project Aims:
Design and implement a framework of best practice
• Educational robotics activity template
• Repository for teachers
• Workshops with >4000 students
Imperative:
21st Skills STEM Women in STEM
Education Careers

5. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972
What do we already know?
• Increased STEM:
– Knowledge
– Interest
– Attitude
– Motivation

6. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972
21st Century Skills
• Collaboration / Teamwork
• Communication
• Critical Thinking / Reflection
• Computational Thinking / Problem Solving
• Creativity -> Innovation -> Entrepreneurship

7. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972
Research Question
• Do virtual robots support similar outcomes?
– What are the new opportunities?
– What are the limitations?
• Pedagogical
• Technical
• Learner outcomes

8. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972
Why Virtual Educational Robotics?
• Cost (purchase and maintenance)
• Collaboration at distance
• Develop digital literacy/competency
• Multiple users
• In situ engagement

9. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972
Proof of Concept

10. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972
Proof of Concept
Constructionism in Virtual Worlds project:
– Constructionism:
• Explore, test and extend understanding
• Construction of shareable and personally
meaningful artefact in situ
• Process of bricolage
– Implementation:
• Adults with little experience of programming
• Second Life
• Slurtles & S4SL
Girvan, C., Tangney, B., & Savage, T. (2013).
SLurtles: Supporting constructionist learning in second life. Computers & Education, 61, 115-132.

11. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972
Why OpenSim?
• ER4STEM: 7-18 year olds
• Control for schools: privacy and protection
• Reliability
• Low-cost
• Task focus
• Flexibility

12. John “Pathfinder” Lester
Project Developer and Consultant

13. 3 Questions: Project Design and Implementation
1. Why was OpenSim a great technology match for this project?
2. How did age-appropriate design influence both content and
configuration of the SLurtle grid?
3. How did Hypergrid-enabled content enrich the build?

14. 1. Why was OpenSim a great technology match for this project?

15. 1. Why was OpenSim a great technology match for this project?
➔In situ and atomistic content creation
➔Multiuser interactions and collaborative creation
➔Full control over grid (privacy and content backup)
➔Option for “local grid” running off USB drive
➔Can leverage the Hypergrid for both content and professional
community (admins can teleport to other grids)

16. 2. How did age-appropriate design influence both content and
configuration of the SLurtle grid?

17. 2. How did age-appropriate design influence both content and
configuration of the SLurtle grid?
➔ Age-appropriate avatars (human and non-human)
➔ Local accounts cannot explore Hypergrid, but admins can
➔ Create familiar spaces for socializing (dance club, campfires)
➔ Create spaces for play (empty ships, flower cannons)
➔ Reward exploration (hidden areas and interactive objects)
➔ Classic orientation pathways and sandboxes

18. 3. How did Hypergrid-enabled content enrich the build?

19. 3. How did Hypergrid-enabled content enrich the build?
➔ My focus was level design, user experience and highly customized content
➔ Need quality content like buildings, trees, avatars, furniture, games, landscaping, etc.
➔ Combination of free from places like Lani Mall and for-sale from places like Kitely Marketplace
➔ Keeping careful record of names of all content creators to give them credit. Final list: 60 people
➔ Adelle Fitzgerald, Aine Caoimhe, Aire Xaris, albertlr Landar, Amiryu Hosoi, Andron Rae, Ange
Menges, Arcadia Asylum, Ares Halostar, beverly Zauberflote, Blaksmith Rubble, Brayla Sana,
Cherry Manga, Cuteulala Artis, Daniel Hoffman, Decad Monad, Druskus War, Ferd Frederix, Fleep
Tuque, Gavin Hird, Hylee Bekkers, ica84 Buildman, Katz Republic, Kayaker Magic, Koshari Mahana,
Lani Global, Lara Nguya, Laura Ormstein, Leighton Majoram, Linda Kellie, LisaKathleen Kaligawa,
Mara Sonnenkern, Marcus Llewellyn, Matt CMPNetwork, Mircea Kitsune, Nara Nook, Nebadon
Izumi, Newfie Pendragon, Nomasha Syaka, oddball otoole, Oopsee Joseppe, Ozwell Wayfarer,
PakoJones descosio, Patch Ferber, Sarah Kline, Selea Core, Sergio Rodriguez, Shane Waffle,
Shelby Moonlight, Stephanie Zugswang, Super Mario, Techplex Engineer, The Wizard, Tina Bey,
Tosha Tyran, Vanish Seriath, Vbinnia Radek, Zed deTremont, Zia Frimon, Zuza Ritt
➔ To visit a backup copy of this environment, see http://opensimworld.com/hop/77326-Outworldz

20. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972
SLurtles: Background
Low-floor
High-ceiling
Wide-walls

21. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972
Show SLurtle - Live Demo

22. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972

23. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972

24. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972

25. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972

26. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972
Next Steps
• Pilot:
– Co-creating lessons for:
• Computer Programming (11-12 year olds)
• Mathematics (12-13 year olds)
– 2 schools (Ireland and UK)
• Refine island design
• Recruit new schools (2016/17 & 2017/18)

27. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 665972

28. These Slides: http://bit.ly/OSCC16-Virtual-Robotics
Published paper: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1OS_fXIGXxnUk8xZ1NuRFVxaDQ/view
For your own copy of a programmable SLurtle,
please contact Carina directly on Twitter as @cgirvan
or via email at girvanc@cardiff.ac.uk