With the help of some ISU students, fifth-graders in Matt Weiss’ science classes at Roland-Story Middle School are building their technological skills through the use of Legos.

Students enrolled in Computer Engineering 370 teach a workshop, “Toying With Technology,” which shows children to build the robotic Lego creations, said Charles Wright, CPRE 370 instructor and professor of electrical and computer engineering.

“It’s so unique and different, any kid can do this,” said Jody Chittick, student teacher for Weiss and former member of the CPRE 370 class. “It doesn’t matter what age you are because the older you get, the more challenging it gets.”

The object of the workshop is to build a model car and write simple programs for it, including specific tasks such as following a black line or completing a square, Wright said. The students work in teams of two, and the program can be made more difficult to match the students’ ability and age.

Weiss said the early exposure to technology is “invaluable” to his students. He also said it creates an interesting situation because his young students become the teachers.

“They’re more technologically advanced than I am,” Weiss said.

“Toying With Technology” was originally designed in 1996 for a Miller Faculty Fellowship by Wright and Larry Genalo, associate professor of materials science and engineering, and became a course available to ISU students in the fall of 1997, Genalo said.

Wright said the purpose of the workshops was to give people who have limited exposure to technology more of a background in electronics.

“Every educated person should know something about the world with which they live,” Wright said, “and that includes electronics.”

Members of the CPRE 370 class have the option to become lab assistants every two weeks and travel around to area schools conducting workshops, Wright said. Some of the other schools students have visited include LeMars, United Community, Colo-Nesco and Perkins.

“It’s fun to see them so excited. [For] anyone that wants to learn simple programming, it’s a great class,” said Kara Rakunas, senior in biology and member of the CPRE 370 class.

Chittick said the workshop allows her students to learn in a more interesting and interactive manner.

“It’s not just a game,” she said. “It helps them expand their learning and creative-thinking skills.”