LOGO is a computer language developed at MIT by several people, including Seymour Papert. It was developed as a language that would be attractive to young children. It was also developed as a first attempt at "Math Land." Papert relates mathematics to a language that can be learned best in a land where that language is spoken. Just like French is learned best in France, he feels that mathematics can be learned best in "Math Land."
LOGO is a fully functioning programming language (based on LISP, a programming language mainly used for artificial intelligence). With it, you can write very complex programs to do just about anything. Its original function was to draw graphics. Students use the commands in LOGO to manipulate a "turtle" to move around the screen and draw. The theory is that since the commands to move the turtle are mathematical, students will engage in mathematical conversations.
LOGO has been used with varying success in a number of schools. Many teachers are LOGO fanatics who swear by it (there is even a high school geometry curriculum based on LOGO). Others have used LOGO and have not found it to be worthwhile. As with any classroom innovation, a great deal of the success of the innovation depends on the implementation and the goals of the implementation.
There are many versions of LOGO, including the original LOGO (mainly used to draw), LOGO Writer (used to manipulate text), MicroWorlds (a multimedia authoring tool based on LOGO), Lego LOGO (a version of LOGO used to manipulate Lego pieces), and HyperLogo (a version of LOGO extended to manipulate objects in HyperStudio).
HyperLogo is the version of LOGO that comes with HyperStudio. It is a fully functioning version of LOGO with extensions to manipulate objects in HyperStudio. HyperLogo scripts can be used to extend HyperStudio in very powerful ways, including allowing you to move or hide objects (graphic objects, text objects, and buttons), change the text in text objects, and do things based on text typed into a text object or the placement of a draggable graphic object. HyperLogo also has all the standard Logo features, discussed below.
HyperLogo is a button action in HyperStudio. In order to have a button perform a HyperLogo script, simply check the box named "Use HyperLogo..." under button actions (create a button, name it, drag it to where you want it, click outside the button, and check "Use HyperLogo..." in the Actions dialog that appears). You will be presented with a text window in which you can type HyperLogo commands to be executed when the button is pressed. When you have typed the commands, click on the close box and say "Yes" to save changes to the script. Click Done to indicate you are done with actions. Now, when you click on the button you have just created, it should perform the commands you have specified.
If you want to change the HyperLogo script after you have created it, you have two options. You can get the selection tool (the arrow) and double click on your button to edit the button attributes, click on the Actions button to edit the button actions, and double-click on the "Use HyperLogo..." checkbox to get back in your script. This process is the same for editing any button actions. The alternative is to use the shortcut: you can hold down the command key (the one with the apple on it next to the spacebar) and click on your button (use the ALT key in the Windows version of HyperStudio). This will take you directly to your button script.
Imagine a small turtle on your screen with a pen dragging behind it. As the turtle moves, the pen drags across the screen, leaving a line wherever it goes. If you tell the turtle to move forward 50 steps, it will draw a straight line 50 "steps" long. If you tell the turtle to turn right 90 degrees, it will turn sharply to the right, but it will not move nor draw anything. Now, if you tell it to move forward 50 steps, it will draw a straight line perpendicular to the first. Since the turtle is leaving a line wherever it goes, it is drawing a picture as it goes. In addition, if you want the turtle to move without drawing, you can tell the turtle to lift the pen up, tell it to move, then tell it to put the pen back down. With these basic functions, you can draw fairly complex pictures.
| CS | Clear screen |
| FORWARD | Move forward |
| BACK | Move backward |
| RIGHT | Turn to the right |
| LEFT | Turn to the left |
| REPEAT | Do something over and over again |
| PU | Lift the pen up |
| PD | Put the pen down |
| SETPOS | Move the turtle to a specific place |
FORWARD 50 CS BACK 50 FORWARD 50 RIGHT 90 FORWARD 50 REPEAT 2 [FORWARD 50 RIGHT 90 FORWARD 50] FORWARD 10 PU FORWARD 10 PD FORWARD 10 REPEAT 10 [FORWARD 10 PU FORWARD 10 PD] SETPOS [0 0]
Work with a partner so you can discuss ideas. Try to use your body to figure out how to solve each problem before solving it on the computer (get up and walk around). Create a different button for each problem. Name the buttons appropriately (for example, the answer to problem 1 should be in a button named SQUARE).
This page was prepared by Dr. David M. Marcovitz.
Last Updated: June 11, 1998