One of the methods I have used is to write a line following program, show it running to the kids as a demo and then let them ask me "How did you do that??!!" 

Just FYI, for NXT the steering in move blocks is unpredictable and subject to variances in battery voltages. We use motor blocks to do turns and arcs. 

--
Michael Brown
ESVA FLL Mentor
"What we discover is more important than what we win."


On Thu, Oct 17, 2013 at 11:39 PM, Jennifer Armstrong <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
I am wondering the best coaching method.  I could ramble on about "on the
other hand" quite a bit, but I'll try to keep it short.  How do you motivate
learning?

I coach and I have an engineer mentor helping out.  This is our third year,
and his opinion all season has been if the kids want to accomplish a lot,
they have the ability to look things up for themselves.  They are all over
12 years old except one.  I concurred, but now that we're getting close to
the end, I'm rethinking.

My boys want to use only move blocks.  As this may be our last year, I'd
like to branch out and use a sensor (light).  They are sure that move blocks
using rotations are the best.  Ideally I would like to run tests to gauge
both, but I can't make the light sensor work myself.  And there's not much time.

Should I force the issue and make them stretch giving them the final say, or
do I let them do the same old thing?  Do we waste lots of time angling and
adjusting degrees, or do we plow through until we learn how to make the
sensor work going on my word that it will be more accurate?

I know it's supposed to be team driven, the kids do the work, but is there a
way to challenge them and it still be fun?  They seem to be in a rut.

Thanks,
Jennifer



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