Organisation: University of Glasgow

Division or Department: Computing Science

Address: 17 Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow G12 8QQ

Name of applicant(s): Professor Muffy Calder

Telephone/fax/email: 0141 330 4949, email: muffy@dcs.gla.ac.uk

Previous EPSRC support: (please provide grant reference number of most recently funded grant or number of most recent fellowship award):

Title of project:

This project will:

• develop portable, physical computer-controlled laboratories using computer-controlled LEGO^TM robotics invention systems;
• identify and develop programmable robotics systems that will capture the imagination of young people;
• introduce young people to the science of computer programming, through the robotics laboratories, in an accessible, dramatic way;
• involve young people in the scientific and intellectual challenges presented by computers and computerisation rather than by using applications;
• give young people first-hand experience of the real, physical consequences of developing a computer program, e.g. a mistake can lead to a robot falling down, or a tank overflowing or water changing colour;
• expose young people to the excitement and difficulties of programming and control, aspects which are, ironically, in danger of being obscured through the ubiquity of computers;
• implement a loan system to make the portable laboratories and exercises available to schools and SET activities.

This project will bring key, fundamental research issues in computing science into the hands of young people. It is specifically targeted at addressing the difficulties of attracting young people to science and technology and aims to address particular misconceptions of complex computing software; by doing so, it will attract more talented young people to computing science.

Communicating software systems pervade our high-tech society, for example in telecommunications, air traffic control, railway signalling, and environmental control, but, the complex ideas and research challenges which lie behind them are often disguised by successful, simple to use interfaces. Ironically, the fundamental essence of computing science is being eclipsed by the ease of use of the technology; the public and young people in general, are increasingly being lulled into false perceptions about the nature of computation and computer programming.

We aim to make young people aware of the underlying complexity of modern day applications through programming miniature robotics based systems. We will generate the excitement of scientific experimentation by creating unique, portable, physical, computer-controlled laboratories, enabling young people to program physical systems to which they can relate. Typical examples include water tank ecosystems, robot obstacle courses, or a set of telephones. The laboratories will be based on computer-controlled LEGO, allowing a variety of computer-controlled systems involving sensing and actuating movement, temperature, and colour. School pupils using the laboratories will gain first hand experience of the profundity of "getting it wrong", and ultimately the pleasure of getting it right, as well as a taste of the underlying complexity and intellectual challenges which underlie computer programming.

To achieve our aims we will bring together computer science researchers, educationalists, communication specialists, and industry.

Computing Science researcher; principal investigator of 7 EPSRC funded research projects.

Role in project: overall project co-ordinator, computing science input, supervision of development of new programming environments.

Educationalist and communications specialist; experienced science teacher, education research. Currently student recruitment officer in Department of Computing Science, University of Glasgow.

Role in project: undergraduate team project supervision, liason with schools and local authorities, educational component.

Computing Science researcher; newly-appointed lecturer in Department of Computing Science, University of Glasgow.

Role in project: undergraduate team project supervision, particularly supervision of technical aspects such as development of new actuators/sensors, control systems.

Professor Calder’s research interests lie in designing and reasoning about software systems with concurrent and communicating components. Her research involves developing and applying advanced mathematical techniques and tools to model and reason about such software systems. The aim of this project is to show young people some of the problems that these techniques aim to address and to stress the importance and relevance of these problems, since communicating systems are at the heart of many applications such as telecommunications, advanced telephony systems, air traffic control, etc.

In terms of public awareness, computing science is in danger of becoming a victim of its success. Many young people today perceive computing as playing games, pushing buttons, clicking mice or surfing the internet. The mass introduction of computers, while empowering young people in a variety of new ways, has also resulted in a loss of the understanding of the excitement and intellectual content of computer programming. Many of the brightest school children perceive computing as merely a typing skill. Because computers are so ubiquitous, young people do not necessarily appreciate the scientific process involved in programming a computer -- the degree of excitement, frustration and satisfaction involved in actually designing a solution to a problem, experimenting with that design or algorithm, seeing the consequences of mistakes and finally (hopefully) getting it right.

This proposal is targeted at the next generation of potential computing scientists: at upper primary and upper secondary school pupils. It is relatively easy to show the products of a computer program but much more difficult to show how a program operates. Within SET activities, there are virtually no computing activities which go beyond surfing the internet or sending emails or looking at parts of the computer. None of these activities accurately reflect the essence of computation, but rather they present opportunities for children to use computer applications – a worthy aim in itself but not one which engages young people in fundamental aspects of computing.

Research has shown that young people begin to decide on their general career aspirations around the ages 10-12, derived from relatively limited perceptions of the world of work. Consistent with other SET initiatives we will select this as one of our target age groups. A second key decision point for young people is in upper secondary school when they begin to consolidate their plans for higher education. Therefore, we will select this as a second target group.

Web sites are an effective means of remote, mass communication, and we have experience of developing them in this domain (see track record, below). However, they are impersonal communication tools, limited to two (visual) dimensions. Users only interact with a screen and do not feel any real consequences of their actions. This proposal provides an opportunity to integrate the computer with real objects, showing material cause and effect, and encouraging problem solving and experimentation with computer programming.

Computer-controlled LEGO^TM

The laboratories should be portable, robust, and support concurrency and real-time. The platform should support a range of applications, from robotics to environmental systems; it must be reliable with little "down-time", reliance on technicians, and with a lifespan of at least 3 years. The built-in sensors should include at least movement and temperature; it should be possible to build further sensors and have access to the firmware.

The LEGO MINDSTORMS Robotics Invention System, a recent development from LEGO^TM, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), seems ideal for this purpose. The Robotics Invention System is basically a specialist microcomputer (the RCX^TM microcomputer) for controlling sensors and motors that can be attached to LEGO^TM bricks. Programs are developed in a specialist programming language (RCX programming code). The RCX language will not be suitable for use directly by pupils, so we will develop appropriate higher level programming environments which will be easily accessible to them yet still demonstrate our aims. The development of higher level programming environments is encouraged by the manufacturers of LEGO^TM.

A basic kit includes: RCX^TM microcomputer, CD-ROM software, two motors, two touch sensors, one light sensor, an infrared transmitter, and 727 LEGO pieces. A "standard" multi-media PC with windows 95 is required. Further sensors such as cameras, temperature, rotation and fibre optic displays can be purchased separately; new acuators and sensors may need to be developed during the scope of this project.

While we aim to provide self-contained Laboratories which can be loaned out to schools: the LEGO kits, computer, programming language software, application systems, and example problems, the costs will make it possible for some schools to purchase their own hardware, should they so wish.

The Department provides a vibrant and stimulating environment, rated both 5* and excellent, respectively, in the last research and teaching quality assessment exercises. We have an extensive track record in novel computing science research and in developing web based materials and workshops for schools. We do not attempt to describe the former here, but give a couple of examples of the latter. For example, a recent third year undergraduate team project (under the direction of Alison Mitchell and another academic) developed a web site (http://www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/infonet) which contains graded tutorials to introduce simple concepts such as binary code, logic gates, and object oriented programming, as well as information about careers, courses and companies. One team of students carried out a requirements analysis by seeking advice from teachers and pupils and then developed a comprehensive web site. A second team of students evaluated the web site both in schools and at University open days. Subsequent teams have added to the web site which is currently used in SET activities, the University science festival, summer schools and open days. Another example is for over 10 years the Department organised very successful Women into Computing workshops attended each year by over 800 senior school girls and their teachers. Each day, an eminent guest speaker was followed by "hands on workshops" using the latest technology. These were sponsored by companies, but expensive to organise both in terms of equipment and staff involvement. While very successful, the workshops were limited because they had to be situated in the University and consequently had to involve a very short period of time for each pupil. Our experience is that while pupils at all stages in secondary schools have found our activities interesting and stimulating, they have not fully encapsulated what it feels like to do computing. This proposal aims to do just that.

The project will span three years, with results from the first year. Much of the development work will be carried out by teams of undergraduate students, in accordance with the successful model we have developed in our previous activities. Guidelines for the conduct of a typical software engineering project will therefore be appropriately applied. We will work with targeted, local primary and secondary schools to determine requirements in detail. We will develop systems to meet those requirements using our technical expertise, carrying out small scale evaluations in the targeted schools. Students will be employed to continue project work during the summer vacation, as appropriate. We will evaluate the systems with further pupils on a small scale, modify as necessary, and then work to deliver the complete the laboratories consistent with our aims.

The final deliverables include a range of programmable systems built up from robotics LEGO^TM, with a set of exercises, training material for teachers and pupils. One delivery model we have in mind is that a school will ring up and ask to borrow the "water tank ecosystem" or the "traffic flow system" or the "robot obstacle course". In many cases, students, or A. Mitchell will be able to accompany the laboratory to a school, at least for an introductory session.

An outline of the milestones for each year is:

Feasability studies, gain experience of LEGO^TM and RCX^TM programming. Identify suitable range of systems for upper primary schools. Identify programming environment requirements and develop programming environment. Develop one modest prototype system for primary school and test in targeted school.

Evaluate first prototype and modify as necessary. Develop further systems for upper primary schools, test and evaluate. Identify suitable range of systems for upper secondary schools. Identify programming environment requirements and develop programming environment (likely to be more sophisticated and difficult to develop). Identify and begin development of new actuators and/or sensors. Develop one prototype system for secondary school and test in targeted school. Begin work on accompanying material and example problem worksheets, in consultation with student recruitment officer, graphics designers, and other communications specialists.

Evaluate prototype secondary system and modify as necessary. Develop full range of full scale systems for primary and secondary schools. Complete accompanying material and example exercise worksheets. Set up loans mechanism, ensure portability, reliability and robustness of laboratories. Begin dissemination process (see below).

It is our experience that communicating about computing science is most effective when a variety of people are involved. Alongside renowned researchers, we will involve our undergraduate students and our student recruitment officer who has professional experience in communicating to young people with a variety of media. The undergraduates will be involved in developing both technical and requirements capture aspects of the laboratories and will be encouraged to think about some of the fundamentals concepts learned in their degree studies and how to communicate them to public at large, and school pupils, in particular. Students will be encouraged to interact with pupils, as past experience (e.g. open days) has also taught us that they can be effective role models to younger pupils.

During each student project, evaluation will be a normal part of the project lifecycle. Once the laboratories are complete, we will begin a dissemination process in which we will:

• advertise through the internet and directly to schools through local authority channels;
• invite pupils, teachers and local authority officials to launch workshops in the University of Glasgow;
• use the laboratories for SET events;
• make the laboratories available to the GDA (Glasgow Development Agency) and the University of Glasgow science bus;
• set up a loan system so that schools can borrow the equipment;
• seek further sponsorship from the public and private sector.

This proposal is specifically targeted at addressing the difficulties of attracting young people to science and technology. It aims to address particular misconceptions by exposing the complex nature of communicating systems and the challenges of programming them; by doing so, it will inform young people about ideas behind every day computer applications and will attract more talented young people to the field. The scientists involved, the investigators and students, will undergo training in communication to ensure that material accompanying the laboratories is of high quality. The use of robotics LEGO^TM is novel and will enable a variety of systems to be developed, rather than a bespoke system such as a model railway, or one ecological system. While the idea of using robotics to introduce computing is not novel in itself, (e.g. the use of "turtles" was proposed in USA over 20 years ago), we firmly believe that it is time to bring back the science into computing and to capture the imagination of young people with physical objects, instead of virtual ones.

The Smith Group, producer of avionics software, has offered to provide £1,000 towards equipment costs. Professor Calder’s research collaboration with this company, and other companies such as BT Laboratories, will inform some the systems developed ( e.g. a programmable telephone switch with ringing handsets). We expect to approach LEGO^TM for sponsorship at a future date.