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Circuit Conductor Teaches Children About Electricity

Updated on March 13, 2019

Understand Electricity to Understand The World

There’s a tendency to take technology for granted and no greater proof is needed than to ask a child where electricity comes from. If they say “there” pointing to the wall outlet, you’ve a child who at least knows it doesn’t appear by magic. Which is more than you can say about adults who take this life-giver of refrigeration, heat, washers and literally hundreds of things needed for daily life for granted. Let’s not forget charging cell phones either. So rather than having your xxxx year old staring at a LCD screen and playing some so-called “educational” game, let them participate in the real world by learning just what and how electricity does its thing. Of course the best way to do this is to make it a hand-on experience, and that is exactly what Circuit Conductor is.

Circuit Conductor is safe, let’s say that first thing, because it uses batteries to generate electricity and not the mains outlet. Think of it as a board game, as a monopoly board where you make connections (rather than trying to pass GO) and learn about electrical principles through building circuits and seeing how they function. So instead of game cards and tokens the child is working with 12 different electrical function blocks and 6 specially insulated magnetic wires that create sound, light up and even have motorized functions.

Learning Through A Hands On Approach

To take the child through the various challenges, a free app with tutorials and puzzles is used to provide details and for its camera to join in on the fun through augmented reality as it provides the effects of what the circuit is accomplishing in a “real world manner. The app is able to create new images that overlay on the real ones in front of the child to augment what is being done in the “real world” in real-time. But again the app does not substitute for doing — the child is encouraged to be hands-on with the various elements of the kit and to explore moving ahead towards greater understanding.

Context and visuals are used extensively to make this all happen. So understanding how a battery is put together is done right there in front of the child, with them holding the parts and assembling it so as to make happen. The same can be said for turning on a fan in a room to cool it off, or turning on a light bulb to brighten a room that has now gone dark. In all cases, the problem solving is approached in a straightforward and non-threatening manner which doesn’t assume the child has a predilection for science, but for fun. It’s a way to make them think to solve what has been put before them. But even more importantly, it is a way to pique their interest in knowing more about the world around them and the technology that has become even more a part of daily life than it was just 15-20 years ago.

Building Circuits Is Just One Part

Circuit Conductor is all about learning to build circuits — from basic to parallel — and understanding what they do as it impacts real life. It also emphasizes a greater understanding of electricity, currents and magnets through hands-on learning for a child so as to focus their attention on a task and complete it through hand-eye coordination and by thinking creatively. In addition to the parent spending quality time with their child as they navigate through the problems, procedures and goals that need to be accomplished, it also helps the adult to remember/learn more about just what electricity is for themselves. As as a STEM (a curriculum based on education in the four disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics based on real-world applications), this succeeds admirably without being boring or extravagantly confusing for either the child or the adult.

Due to the app, a tablet is needed as an adjunct to the physical parts of the kit. The app is compatible with the following iOS devices — iPad mini 1 or newer, iPad Air 1&2, iPad 2 or newer, iPad Pro (9.7 or 12.9inch) — and the the Galaxy Tab S2, Google Pixel C, Moto X, Samsung S7 and S8, Huawei M2 and M3 which all use Android.

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