Applications of Probeware for Tech-Ed

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Introduction

Technology Educators have always worked with data in their experiments.  However until now they have relied on many different products from off the shelf volt meters to expensive proprietary equipment from educational companies to teach their lessons.  Coach systems offer not only the ability to observe and record data but also to control and teach programming using that data.  Coach replaces many pieces of expensive and space consuming equipment and gives students real world applications of technology.  On this page you will find information about using CoachLab software and hardware (as well as TI-CBL) in Technology Education.

  
 

Benefits of Coach Probeware for

Technology Educators

  • Coach can measure and record data from sensors allowing students to test their designs like real engineers.
  • Coach can control outputs and equipment thus allowing you to teach programming with a built in basic programming language.
  • Students can learn how sensors work by designing and calibrating their own from common electronic components.
  • Coach has tools that let you integrate mathematics into your technology lessons.
  • Coach lets you integrate science principles into your technology education lessons.
  • Coach's predict feature puts the hypothesis back into your tech-ed lessons and labs.
  • Coach's authoring feature allows you to create your own activities or modify existing ones to suit your needs, your text book, or your other lab equipment.
  • Coach probeware, along with appropriate sensors replaces a large amount of expensive equipment in your science lab.
  • Coach is portable (with ULAB, TI-CBL, or Vernier LabPro)
  

Activity Ideas for Tech-Ed

  • Test structures for their natural frequency in order to earth-quake proof them
  • Record speed, acceleration, and stability of different boat hull designs
  • Design a robot to perform a task and then write a program to control the robot using sensors to control the program
  • Write a program to control a trafic light at a busy intersection
  • Create a thermostat to control temperature
  • Measure forces on a wing during wind tunnel testing
  • Control and test biotechnology experiments
  • Create and Calibrate their own sensors to learn how sensors work
 

Table of Contents CoachLab for Tech-Ed

Recommended Hardware and Software for Technology Education Instructors
CoachLab II Interface Panel

With two 4mm banana jack analog inputs (0 to 5 or -10 to +10 volts) for sensors including those your students may design themselves, two BT style analog inputs for Vernier, TI, and CMA brand sensors, two digital inputs for velocity and position sensors, and eight analog outputs (0 to 12 volts DC up to 1 AMP) the CoachLab II interface panel is ideal for the technology education class at all grade levels. 

Click Here to see full specifications on this product.
Coach 5 Author Software (for control and data analysis)

With the ability to write programs using a BASIC programming language Coach 5 Author Software is the perfect choice for the technology education class at all grade levels.  Lessons can be presented with on screen instructions, images, and even video clips.  The programming window guides students through programming and helps them easily correct syntax errors, and debug program code.  Students can program using a graphical "button" driven interface, pick from customized commands, or program in straight basic.

Students can learn to read input from sensors and control devices in order to make automated vehicles, robots, and more.

Click Here to learn more about Coach Author Software.

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About the Crossroads Programming Package
The Crossroads Programming Package is a special set of Coach Hardware and Software that presents students with the challenge of learning how to program and set up a safe traffic intersection.  Students must write a program that cycles traffic lights and pedestrian cross walks on and off and reacts to cars that pull up to the intersection or pedestrians signaling they wish to cross the street.

The set is made up of a model traffic intersection complete with LED stop lights, car sensors, and pedestrian cross walk buttons, as well as model cars, cable, and software.

Students are stepped through activities with increasing difficulty levels always aided by on screen instructions.  Students first learn to manually control the intersection, then to read input from its sensors, then to program using buttons that generate lines of code, and finally to write code themselves. Video Clips and Pictures help students understand what they are doing.

Ideal for integrating programming into transportation studies.

Suitable for 4th grade through College

Click on the image to the right for a full size screen shot.

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Using Modeling to Integrate Mathematics into your Technology Education Class

Technology Educators are called upon to integrate other skills and subject matter into their technology lessons. With Coach software it is easy to integrate mathematics skills and principles and help your students learn.  Coach has a "modeling" environment where students can look at equations and relationships between variables graphically and learn how one variable effects another variable.  Since many technology students tend to think more visually this is a great way to help them understand and master math concepts.  To learn more about modeling please click here to see a model of Ohm's Law in action. 

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Featured Article: Creating Robots with Tech Card and CoachLab [NEW!]
Tech Card materials are inexpensive educational materials designed to teach concepts of design and how structures work.  Tech Card also includes pulleys, gears, shafts, and motors and so makes a perfect and affordable way to build robots when combined with CoachLab and the Coach programming language.

Click Here for the full article including construction tips and programming information.
 
Please Note: In this example the Robot is being controlled by a Pentium 100Mhz computer with only 16 MB of RAM and Windows 95.  Coach software and hardware is designed to work with older computer equipment just as well as it does with newer state of the art machines.
 

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Build your own Sensor
It is easy to build, test, and calibrate your own sensors by using simple and inexpensive electronic components.  Coach Software has tools for building calibration curves in order to convert any -10 to +10 or 0 to +5 volt device into a sensor for data collection or for control.
  • Create your own sensors for robots
  • Teach students how sensors work
  • Modify and adapt sensors you already own for use with Coach

Click Here to learn more about building your own sensors.
 

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List of Technology Activities already on the Coach CD-ROM

The Coach software environment is designed to present lessons in a multimedia format that can contain instructions, images, and video clips.  In addition, tools and settings for handling sensors, a programming environment including basic commands and functions, and other tools can be set up to provide unique activities for your students.  The fact that Coach has "authoring" capability means you can quickly and easily create your own lessons and activities that conform completely to the text books, teaching methods, tools, and supplies in your own classroom.  The Coach CD also contains over 290 ready to use pre-written activities that you can use or modify for your purposes. 

The Coach CD includes the following pre-written Technology Education activities.

 
Start Menu Name Project Name Activity Name Grade Level
Control Control - 1 Introduction 1. Introduction 9-12 + College
Control Control - 1 Introduction 2. Using Actuators with CoachLab II 9-12 + College
Control Control – 2. Examples 1. Program three lamps 9-12 + College
Control Control – 2. Examples 2. Repeating Program Lines 9-12 + College
Control Control – 2. Examples 3. Investigate the light sensor 9-12 + College
Control Control – 2. Examples Controlling lamps with a light sensor 9-12 + College
Control Control – 2. Examples Repeat ... Until 9-12 + College
Control Control – 2. Examples Make a Thermostat 9-12 + College
Control Control – 2. Examples Making your own commands 9-12 + College
Control Control – 3. The Workshop CoachLab 9-12 + College
Control Control – 3. The Workshop CoachLab II 9-12 + College
Control Control – 3. The Workshop Lego Dacta Interface B 9-12 + College
Control Control – 3. The Workshop Lego Dacta RCX 9-12 + College
Measurements with LabPro Vernier LabPro with DCU 1. Programming lamps 9-12 + College
Measurements with LabPro Vernier LabPro with DCU 2. Repeating program lines 9-12 + College
Measurements with LabPro Vernier LabPro with DCU 3. Investigating a light sensor 9-12 + College
Measurements with LabPro Vernier LabPro with DCU 4. Controlling lamps with a light sensor 9-12 + College
Measurements with LabPro Vernier LabPro with DCU 5. Repeat ... Until 9-12 + College
Measurements with LabPro Vernier LabPro with DCU 6. Temperature controlled environment 9-12 + College
Measurements with LabPro Vernier LabPro with DCU 7. Creating your own commands 9-12 + College
Measurements with LabPro Vernier LabPro with DCU 8. Programming your own project 9-12 + College
CoachLab Technology Basic Activities 1. Teach the computer a task 4-8
CoachLab Technology Basic Activities 2. Control the Lamp 4-8
CoachLab Technology Basic Activities 3. Control Three Lamps 4-8
CoachLab Technology Basic Activities 4. Repeat instructions 4-8
CoachLab Technology Basic Activities 5. Investigate the switch 4-8
CoachLab Technology Basic Activities 6. Control lamps with a switch 4-8
CoachLab Technology Extension Activities 7. Investigate the light sensor 4-8
CoachLab Technology Extension Activities 8. Make lighting for a store window 4-8
CoachLab Technology Extension Activities 9. Make a thermostat 4-8
CoachLab Technology Advanced Activities 10. Writing programs with Basic 4-8
Control with CoachLab II Control Examples 1. Program three lamps 4-8
Control with CoachLab II Control Examples 2. Repeating program lines 4-8
Control with CoachLab II Control Examples 3. Investigate the light sensor 4-8
Control with CoachLab II Control Examples 4. Controlling lamps with a light sensor 4-8
Control with CoachLab II Control Examples 5. Repeat ... Until 4-8
Control with CoachLab II Control Examples 6. Make a thermostat 4-8
Control with CoachLab II CoachLab II The Workshop 1. Introduction to using actuators 4-8
Control with CoachLab II CoachLab II The Workshop 2. Introduction to "own" commands 4-8
Control with CoachLab II CoachLab II The Workshop 3. Workshop Control Technology 4-8
Measurements with LabPro LabPro with DCU 1. Programming Lamps 4-8
Measurements with LabPro LabPro with DCU 2. Repeating Program Lines 4-8
Measurements with LabPro LabPro with DCU 3. Investigating a light sensor 4-8
Measurements with LabPro LabPro with DCU 4. Controlling lamps with a light sensor 4-8
Measurements with LabPro LabPro with DCU 5. Repeat ... Until 4-8
Measurements with LabPro LabPro with DCU 6. Temperature controlled environment 4-8
Measurements with LabPro LabPro with DCU 7. Creating your own commands 4-8
Measurements with LabPro LabPro with DCU 8. Programming your own project 4-8
 

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List of Technology Curriculum Materials that are Compatible with CoachLab

CoachLab software can control the outputs of CoachLab, Vernier, and CBL hardware in order to turn devices on and off via a program.  Coach can control any device that requires 0 to 12 volts DC and can handle loads of up to 1 amp.

Coach works with any of the following actuators: (Connection by 4 MM Banana Jack)

  • DC Motor (0 to 12 Volts up to 1 Amp) - On/Off or Directional Control
  • Stepper Motor (0 to 12 Volts) - Precise number of steps Uni- or Bi-directional
  • Relay (0 to 12 Volts up to 1 Amp)
  • Solenoid (0 to 12 Volts up to 1 Amp)
  • Buzzer (0 to 12 Volts)
  • Light Bulb or LED (0 to 12 Volts)
  • Heating Element (0 to 12 Volts up to 1 Amp)
  • Any other 0 to 12 volt device including triggering SCR's, Solid State Relays, or other devices.

CoachLab also works with any sensor that requires zero to 5 volts D.C. or that produces an output or change in a range of -10 to + 10 volts.

Coach is compatible with any of the following sensors: (Connection by 4 MM Banana Jack or BT connector)

  • Vernier Brand Sensors
  • TI Brand Sensors
  • CMA Brand Sensors
  • NEMO Sensors
  • Phillip Harris Sensors
  • Make your own sensor (any -10 to + 10 or 0 to 5 volt source)

As a result of the above facts CoachLab systems can be used to teach technology concepts using the following curriculum materials commonly used by Technology Educators.

  • Seibun Mind Development Kits [Click here to learn more about Seibun Kits]
  • Linx Construction System + Motor Pack
  • Tech Card Construction System + Motor Pack [Click here to see Coach controlled Robots]
  • Lego Dacta and Lego RCX (and/or Lego Motors directly controlled)
  • Tamiya Kit Materials (gear boxes, transmissions, other kits)
  • OWI Kit materials (gearbox)
  • K'NEX Materials
  • ROBOTIX materials
  • Pitsco Solar Designer's Kit and Solarpak
  • Heliocentris Fuel Cell kits
  • H-TEC Fuel Cell Kits
  • Pitsco Sensors (Misson: Possible Line)
  • Any other materials that function on 0 to 12 volts DC for power or control.

You can also use Coach in many common technology activities (here are some examples)

  • CO2 Dragster (control starting time, measure time, velocity and acceleration)
  • Boat Hull Testing (control starting time, measure time, velocity, acceleration, and stability)
  • Materials Testing/Destructive Testing (measure force and breaking force on components)
  • Robotics/Computer Applications (teach programming with feedback)
  • Electronics (create and test your own sensors)
  • Communications (study sound, electricity, light, and other concepts)
  • Energy (study components that produce or consume energy such as solar or fuel cells)

*please note: the above educational materials are the copyright of their respective owners.
 

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Download FREE manuals about the Coach Programming Environment [NEW!]

Download the Coach Control Manual (full details on the Coach Programming Environment)

    [Click Here to Download] (Adobe .pdf format) {464 KB}

 

Download the Guide to the Coach Basic Programming Language. (full details on commands and methods)

    [Click Here to Download] (Adobe .pdf format) {480 KB}

See Coach Programming in Action with Robots made from Tech Card [Click Here]
 
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More Information Coming Soon!

Including:

  • Free Tech-Ed Activities for Download

  • Tips for Technology Teachers using CoachLab

Please contact us if you need more information NOW

 

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