“MaRs” Manual - Educational Technology Lab
Contents
1. MaRs is a microworld as well consisted of the following components 2Sliders placed one above the other with the names Slider basic slider and Slider1 gt The Logo Editor component It contains the Logo code of the microworld which controls the behavior of all the other components e g the Sliders 1 INFO button which displays hides an informative text about the operation of the microworld 1 LOGO button which displays hides the Logo Editor Component MaRs is a model microworld which can be easily modified by the instructor so that it is adjusted to his 2 EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LAB ETL NKUA 3 MaRs MANUAL needs In the next unit there is a detailed description of the function of the microworld components as well as the process to be followed for the microworld modification 1 3 Structure and function of the sliders The two sliders of the microworld are connected through a mathematical relation This means that when the user moves the cursor of the first slider to a number the cursor of the second slider will automatically be moved to the number which is the result of this mathematical relation For instance if the mathematical relation is Slider1 Slider 5 and the Slider points at the value 3 then the Slider1 will point at the value 8 etc Therefore each slider represents a different variable of the same mathematical relation This creates a model of a linear representation of mathematical functio2. Text Value H Text color Defines if values are inverted Figure 1 Settings of the Slider component D EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LAB ETL NKUA 7 MaRs MANUAL 2 3 Logo code modification The Logo code of MaRs gives you the possibility to control the sliders behavior The Logo editor is displayed on the screen when you click on the LOGO button The default code contains two processes The first one takes up the basic slider s current value and the second one sets the relevant value to the second slider The process that takes up the basic slider s current value Slider is the slidervalue and is comprised of the following commands to slidervalue output ask Slider slider value end The outcome of the above commands is that every time we write slidervalue in our code the above process is run and it returns the current value of the Slider The process change that sets the relevant value to the second slider is comprised of the following commands to change ask Slider1 slider setvalue slidervalue 2 end With the above process the value of Slider1 is set to slidervalue 2 which actually is Slider 2 You can edit this code and apply any change you want to it as well Some examples of code modifications are presented in the next unit In order to apply a new Logo code or a change in the existing code you have to select with the mouse the code and click on the Play icon on the L
3. Educational Technology Lab National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Philosophy Faculty of Philosophy Pedagogy and Philosophy P P P Department of Pedagogy Director Prof C Kynigos File Edit Search LOGO Machine Dor El amp X BB gt se T ER Monospaced m2 B7 slidervalue utput ask Slider slider value nd 0 change D MaRs Manual MaRs MANUAL Table of Contents l The MaRs MicroWworld 5 rid orte reet tinte eene uv ded eaae Era E eL RUN ia Raa eoan AEE Na ian E ARAE 3 1 1 ewgero UTeisfol am 3 1 2 Description of MaRS terit th eren n ei dear a a oaa V de PER TA Deva deae eH e Mee n LEER RE 3 1 3 Structure and function of the sliders esses nennen entente nnne nennen 4 1 4 Sliders CONNECT ONS isien E 4 2 Modifying the MaRs microworld e iiec nte eet iiae eiaa ia TENTE PR LARES TRE Eid e ERE RR RN RENE C Yuan 6 2 1 Adding ari extra slider iii deepest rette eterni toe cegatguede eT aiaee ge ETE o HER ER NOR OU e ka El ieni iniia 6 2 2 Slider SettihBs ucc rper cabe ty EA eosque aue Come ETE Eepu E esae et eaa pu wen vu reae A uite ke dad ria 6 2 3 Logo code modificatiori ie D eee evi e eva exec e rH ER EERRR EYE eg Beda eR ER ERR REEL va Ue er een 8 2 3 1 Examples of Slider connections through Logo code sss eene nnn 9 APPENOIK QNT REI EE I ID QD LI UL UU ME 11 2 ED
4. UCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LAB ETL NKUA 2 MaRs MANUAL 1 The MaRs Microworld 1 1 Introduction There are some mathematical concepts such as the variable and the function that have been proven to contain high levels of abstraction in their definition This fact makes it difficult for students to comprehend them In addition the teaching of these concepts is usually limited to solving standard mathematical exercises and to memorizing formulas However in that way students don t acquire profound knowledge of the concepts but superficial knowledge of some rules and definitions The method that is usually used for teaching the functions is filling in tables with the function values and solving common mathematical problems With the MaRs microworld we suggest a different representation of the function concept The MaRs microworld projects a more descriptive representation which challenges the student to explore and be actively engaged in the cognitive process of comprehending the specific concept The main aim of the microworld is to support the student in discovering the mathematical relation that connects two or more sliders according to which the value of the one slider depends on the value of the other 1 2 Description of MaRs The MaRs kit was developed on the E slate platform an environment that enhances Inquiry based learning and enables the user to construct microworlds aiming at experimentation and exploration of phenomena and concepts
5. ervalue 2 end to slidervalue1 output ask Slider1 slider value end to change1 ask Slider2 slider setvalue slidervalue1 2 end As you can see from the examples above the MaRs model microworld is open to many changes and modifications so that the user is enabled to create his own learning environment depending on the functions and the mathematical concepts he wants to teach 2 EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LAB ETL NKUA 10 1 Appendix Logo commands for sliders control Attention Each command must be written inside the brackets of ask slider_name Command Slider Value Slider Setvalue number Slider SetMax number Slider SetMin number Description Takes up the value pointed by the cursor of a slider Sets the cursor of a slider to point at the value of the number Sets the maximum value of a slider Sets the minimum value of a slider E EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LAB ETL NKUA Example of use Slider Setvalue 10 Slider SetMax 200 Slider SetMin 200 MaRs MANUAL 11
6. he slider If it is set to the value 0 the large ticks will not be displayed e Minor tick spacing It sets the space between the small scale ticks of the slider If it is set to the value 0 the small ticks will not be displayed 2 EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LAB ETL NKUA 6 MaRs MANUAL e Minimum It sets the slider s minimum value e Maximum It sets the slider s maximum value e Orientation It sets the slider s orientation Horizontal or Vertical e Font It sets the font and the size of the slider s numbers e Paint Ticks It defines whether scale ticks are displayed on the slider e Paint Labels It defines whether the numbers of the scale are displayed on the slider e Paint Track It defines whether the slider track is displayed e Text Color It sets the color of the slider numbers e Background It sets the slider background color e nverted Value It inverts the slider ends Mathematical Relations dM Microworld Component Tools Help Settings Edit Slider Properties Events Sounds Font Tahoma ii ert Major tick spacing F Maximum Width 32 7675 Maximum size Height aS Minimum Width 326 Minimum size Height a Minor Tick Spacing Name i Opaque Ea Orientation HORIZONTAL Paint labels F7 Paint ticks v Paint track 7 Plugs Use v Width 200 3 Preferred size Height 60 es Snap to ticks Tooltip
7. ns instead of the usage of traditional tables of values which can be used in a variety of ways in algebra field In this model microworld we used the mathematical relation Slider1 Slider 2 by default 1 4 Sliders Connection The connection between the 2 sliders is programmed through some Logo commands which can be displayed by clicking on the LOGO button In particular the mathematical relation that connects the two sliders is defined in this line of the code ask Slider1 slider setvalue slidervalue 2 The command slider setvalue makes the Slider1 point at the value that is written right after the command For example if we write ask Slider1 slider setvalue 5 then the Slider1 will point at the value 5 In our case the value that we set for the Slider1 is the result of the mathematical relation slidervalue 2 where slidervalue is the process which takes up the current value of the basic Slider To sum up the above command consists of the following parts ask Slider1 slider setvalue slidervalue 2 Name of Logo command Mathematical relation the slider for setting the value of the slider 2 EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LAB ETL NKUA 4 MaRs MANUAL So if for example we wanted to connect the sliders with the relation y x 3 or Slider1 Slider 3 we would change the command to ask Slider1 slider setvalue slidervalue 3 Z EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LAB ETL NKUA 5 MaRs MANUAL 2 Modif
8. ogo editor s tool bar or the insert button of your keyboard You can find the available Logo commands for this microworld in the Appendix of this manual 2 EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LAB ETL NKUA 8 MaRs MANUAL 2 3 1 Examples of Slider connections through Logo code Example 1 4 sliders All three of them are connected with the main slider Slider The mathematical relations are o Slider1 Slider 2 o Slider2 Slider 2 o Slider3 Slider The Logo code is to slidervalue output ask Slider slider value end to change ask Slider1 slider setvalue slidervalue 2 ask Slider2 slider setvalue slidervalue 2 ask Slider3 slider setvalue power slidervalue 2 end Note The command power 4 line of the process change is a logo command that raises a number to a power and its syntax is power number power value Therefore on the A line of the process change above ask Slider3 slider setvalue power slidervalue 2 the command power raises the slidervalue of the basic slider to square Example 2 3 Sliders There is the basic slider Slider Slider1 which is connected with the basic slider and Slider2 which is connected with Slider1 Function Composition The mathematical relations are o Slider1 Slider 2 o Slider2 Slider1 2 The Logo code is to slidervalue output ask Slider slider value 2 EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LAB ETL NKUA 9 MaRs MANUAL end to change ask Slider1 slider setvalue slid
9. ying the MaRs microworld The MaRs model microworld enables the user to modify it through simple procedures and have full control of its sliders as well The MaRs environment provides many possibilities of modification and expansion which are described below 2 1 Adding an extra slider To add a new slider follow this path from the horizontal menu at the top of the window Component New gt User Interface Slider and a new slider will be added to the microworld To delete a slider from the microworld right click on the control bar of the slider s window and then click on the option Remove of the popup menu 2 2 Slider settings To rename a slider right click on the control bar of the slider s window and then click on the option Rename Insert the new name at the popup window and click OK To change the height and the width of a slider adjust the size of its window by clicking on its edge and dragging it with the mouse To display and modify other settings of a slider select from the horizontal menu at the top of the microworld s window Tools Component Editor This will display the Component Editor at the left side of the screen Fig 1 At the top of this window you can select the component you want Once you select a component its settings will be displayed below Some important setting fields of the slider component are the following e Major tick spacing It sets the space between the large scale ticks of t
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