Matatalab Robot is a very effective and versatile way to teach computational thinking to young children. There are a million ways to integrate coding instruction into the preschool curriculum using a screen-free robot like Matatalab!
When I think back to the workshop, the children really liked how matatalab was controlled from the lighthouse and moved over the map. The puppet in the cart and the lighthouse was also a wow-efffect for them. The teachers found it a pleasant tool to get to know.
I find it a good advantage that it is possible to organize group activities with a large number of children using a small number of sets. And also high quality of the manufacture of the kit. The set will work for a long time. Of course, it’s great that there is no need for computers. Teacher can perfectly combine physical activity, mental and creative work in accordance with the principles of STEAM education. Recommendation: to come up with a more convenient box for storing parts, which could be used in the lesson as an organizer, and not transfer blocks to other containers.
During the pilot I as a teacher experienced cooperation with peers, happy faces, joy of learning new things and happiness when they figured out the solution. It was nice that we were able to boost creativity skills for my students. Robots were easy to use. There were tasks for all kinds of students, for them who just started coding and also for them who were at a more advanced level.
Students liked a lot working together with the bots and also learned a lot from their partner. Matatalab products were very engaging also for these older students and they enjoyed the possibility to choose their own level on doing. Also the labyrinth challenge was nice because they had the possibility to be creative.
Share your comments upon the class using Matatalab
Easy for teachers to use. Multiple creative ways to use the bots to learn new skills. Children are engaged and enthusiastic.
What skills did it develop?
Coding skills
Critical thinking skills
Problem solving skills
Communication skills
Higher order thinking skills
This is a great tool to practice in a game way such important skills as STEAM as well as communication and problem solving. And it all comes with a free screen Matatalab sets which combines with our kindergarten curriculum in great way!
Matatalab is a very great STEM tool for our students. They have learnt to enjoy the process of problem solving, sharing ideas within groups. This helps Teachers create an effective lesson. Last year, we also included Matatalab in STEM FUN DAY, higher grade students tried to use Matata to complete some missions. They found it interesting too!
The Matatalab Robot is a very fun and adaptable way to teach young children the use of coding, programming, and robotics. I can now think of endless ways this can be used in the classroom or for teaching young children who have interest in robotics and coding.
Students were very motivated to write once we had made a character together and they had seen my demonstration. That students could write only to recite their story and not to have all of the spelling mistakes corrected is also a motivator: let students read their own creative writing. It was good to have short stories because we quickly saw that the tiles could only allow so much movement on the board, ie. only four of each blue tile limited the length of a story.
After the class using Matatalab, students asked us when we are going to use them again. Probably, we will use them next year, to work not just computational thinking, or ICT topics. With the rest of ICT teachers, we are thinking about the possibility to use them to introduce the first steps in each subject or, even we are thinking about the chance to make some groups to bring teams to the MWRC- MatataWorld Robotics Competition.
The recording function, dancing, repeat, drawing, Storytelling, paper craft, accessories for the both sides of the robot.
Inspires the scale and horizons that Matatalab opens and helps to bring to life: contests, competition.
