Practical and playful: Duckietown talks with Prof. Donoso

Félix Donoso Associate Professor at Duoc UC uses Duckietown to teach his students about the science and technology of autonomy in a practical and playful way

Santiago de Chile, 17 October 2023: Learn how Félix Donoso H., Associate Professor at the School of Computer Science and Telecommunications at the Duoc UC Professional Institute, utilized the Duckietown platform to engage with students and teach them complex concepts in a practical and playful way.

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Practical and playful, an interview with Prof. Donoso

Hi! Could you introduce yourself?

My name is Félix Donoso H. I hold a Master’s degree in Education, specializing in Teaching for Higher Education. I am also an Engineer in Connectivity and Networks and have a Diploma in Applied Research and Innovation. I have been working in higher education for 8 years. Currently, I am an Associate Professor at the School of Computer Science and Telecommunications at the Duoc UC Professional Institute. I am involved in various projects at the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer.

We read on the DUOC website about your Duckietown class, could you tell us a little more about it?

At the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer of the School of Computer Science and Telecommunications at DuocUC, we have recently implemented Duckietown to offer our students hands-on experience in robotics and autonomous vehicles. The workshops are designed to teach fundamental concepts of control, computer vision, and machine learning, using the Duckietown platform to provide a hands-on and cutting-edge yet accessible experience.

What is the pedagogical focus of your learning activities?

The pedagogical approach is and will be eminently practical and collaborative. We want students to not only understand theoretical concepts but also apply them in a real environment. Collaboration among students is essential, fostering teamwork and problem-solving in a practical context.

How did you learn about Duckietown?

I learned about Duckietown during a robotics course at the University of Chile. The platform was presented as an innovative educational tool, and I was intrigued by its potential to teach complex concepts in an accessible and attractive way.

What is the thing you liked most about using Duckietown in your class?

What I liked most about using Duckietown was the ability to bring abstract concepts to real life. Students were able to see how their algorithms and codes work in a tangible and entertaining environment, making the concepts easier to understand and more appealing.

How did your students react to the course?

The students responded very positively.
The practical and playful nature of the course allowed them to actively engage
in learning, and many expressed that the experience with Duckietown has been
one of the most memorable in their education.

Pablo Zapata, a fourth-year student of Computer Engineering and one of the project members, highlights that “my experience has been incredible, as I entered an area that is not part of our curriculum, and for this reason, we have learned to build robots and work with different components. This project has surprised me a lot because of the
technology we are using, and at the same time, it has greatly enriched us over
time.”

On the other hand, Néstor Carvacho, a second-year student in the Computer Programmer Analyst career, points out that “I have been able to work with cutting-edge technology and, with it, learn new work tools that are not part of my career; like Linux, which will help me
in my future work.”

Duckietown has allowed students from different campuses of the school of computer science and telecommunications at Duoc UC to immerse themselves in the world of robotics and autonomous vehicles, Linux, ROS, and Python, in an accessible and exciting way.

Félix Donoso H.

How would you recommend we improve the platform?

Although the platform is excellent, it could benefit from more resources and tutorials aimed at different levels of experience. It would also be helpful to have more examples of projects and applications in different fields to inspire students and showcase the versatility of the platform.

Would you like to add anything else?

I would just like to emphasize how valuable the Duckietown platform has been to our institution. It has allowed students from different campuses of the school of computer science and telecommunications at Duoc UC to immerse themselves in the world of robotics and autonomous vehicles, Linux, ROS, and Python, in an accessible and exciting way. I am eager to see how the platform evolves and how we can continue to use it in the future with the practical challenges we are preparing.

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