LOGOLOGO

What is Logo?

computer programming language designed for use by learnersalso powerful and can be effectively used as a mathematical problem-solving tool without limitsoriginally developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the 1960's to allow people, even small children, to use computers as a learning tool

What is Logo?

Logo was based on LISP, a programming language used in artificial intelligence research

It is the language for learning and is a tool to teach the process of learning and thinking

Usage of LogoUsage of Logo

►widely used in the classrooms of Europe and widely used in the classrooms of Europe and JapanJapan

►In England, Logo is a mandated part of the In England, Logo is a mandated part of the national curriculumnational curriculum

►Now that most schools have a lab such that Now that most schools have a lab such that each student can have their own computer, each student can have their own computer, using Logo in the mathematics classroom using Logo in the mathematics classroom can be even more powerfulcan be even more powerful

How it works?How it works?The computer interprets every command The computer interprets every command separately while the program is running rather separately while the program is running rather than running a program that "compiles" the than running a program that "compiles" the entire program into machine code.entire program into machine code.a program that is "interpreted" runs more slowlya program that is "interpreted" runs more slowlyis actually a plus if you want to use Logo for is actually a plus if you want to use Logo for educationeducationStudents can try their Logo procedures Students can try their Logo procedures immediately and make changes and additions immediately and make changes and additions to their work easily with immediate resultsto their work easily with immediate results

Why Use Logo?Why Use Logo?

not limited to any particular topic or subjectnot limited to any particular topic or subject has a natural tendency for the exploration of has a natural tendency for the exploration of

mathematics concepts and for promoting mathematics concepts and for promoting mathematical thinkingmathematical thinking

encourages students to explore and to think encourages students to explore and to think about the processes involved in developing about the processes involved in developing mathematical ideasmathematical ideas

The creation of a product becomes more The creation of a product becomes more important than the finished product itselfimportant than the finished product itself

make the bridge from the concrete to the make the bridge from the concrete to the abstract, particularly with geometry and algebraic abstract, particularly with geometry and algebraic thinkingthinking

Turtle graphics - leads to natural investigations Turtle graphics - leads to natural investigations of geometry concepts with easy-to-learn of geometry concepts with easy-to-learn commands commands

Logo provides an arena where students use Logo provides an arena where students use algebra, need algebra and enjoy the productivity algebra, need algebra and enjoy the productivity of algebraof algebra

Why Use Logo?Why Use Logo?

LOGO as a Programming Language for LOGO as a Programming Language for Educational ApplicationsEducational Applications

• Theories of Jerome Bruner, a great promoter of Theories of Jerome Bruner, a great promoter of Piagetian theory, clearly frame the significance of Piagetian theory, clearly frame the significance of Logo as a tool for education.Logo as a tool for education.

• Studies in Cognitive Growth - Studies in Cognitive Growth - three modes of three modes of representing knowledge: enactive, iconic, and symbolicrepresenting knowledge: enactive, iconic, and symbolic

• enactiveenactive representation the significance of a stimulus is representation the significance of a stimulus is in the motor reaction it producesin the motor reaction it produces

• IconicIconic representation is representing external objects representation is representing external objects with images, either internal or externalwith images, either internal or external

LOGO as a Programming Language for LOGO as a Programming Language for Educational ApplicationsEducational Applications

• symbolicsymbolic representation is linguistic in nature representation is linguistic in nature• Children start out with primarily the enactive Children start out with primarily the enactive

mode and progress through the dominance of mode and progress through the dominance of the iconic mode to the modal Western adult the iconic mode to the modal Western adult form of symbolic representationform of symbolic representation

Turtle graphics and Bruner's forms of representation

The concept of a geometric figure, say a square, can be translated into enactive mode

The child may be instructed to walk forward 10 paces, turn right, walk forward 10 more paces, and so forth, until a square has been described on the floor. A connection can be made between these movements and the symbols FD 10 RT 90 FD 10 in this way, giving a concrete interpretation of a symbolic language. Finally, what the child sees as these commands are executed, is a visual image of a turtle drawing a square on the monitor--the iconic mode.

“Whole-brain learning"

The right brain tends to specialize in schematic thinking and detailed visual imagery

The left brain, in categorical and linguistic thinking.

Symbols such as FD 50 RT 90 are processed by the left brain

Images such as a square drawn on the monitor screen are processed by the right brain.

“Whole-brain learning"

allows the left brain to communicate with the right brain

In order to draw a certain geometric figure, the child can experiment with different strings of symbols until the desired result is achieved. With just a little prompting from the teacher, the child is on his or her own schedule of learning

Learning Problem Solving Skills

• our problem solving activity grows out of our creativity

• Out of our attempts at goal-achievement grow our problem-solving endeavours

• Learn the importance of being able to document the steps in our approaches to solving problems (a procedural outlook).