According to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKrOo7zVU24 it's similar to the old Radio Shack 150 kit, but the projects are a bit more complicated (and include digital logic chips).
I think you're spot on with respect to the utility of the Elenco sets. I have two children, tried it out on both of them, and while there is some momentary instant of 'fun' getting the thing to do what the instructions said it was going to do, there is nothing really learned, no insight gained, no curiosity sparked. In that sense it's a lot like the modern LEGO sets where the goal seems to be primarily just to complete the given instructions, and less to spark any kind of creativity.
By the way, I grew up in the Netherlands with one of these:
In hindsight, I was too young at the time to be able to really understand the more complex parts (transistors); but, also in hindsight, I think for me that was the point: it triggered a desire to _want_ to understand it. Thinking about it now I realize that that kit might have played a role in me ultimately going to get my EE degree.
I don't know what the underlying societal theme is that explains all of this. But there is some fair amount of "dumbing down" and "challenge removing" that is happening, and the kids are worse off for it. Even all this Mark Rober stuff I see on YouTube is the same: it's a lot of fun to watch, but is anybody actually being challenged by any of it?
I had one of the Radio Shack kits, used it a ton, and my enjoyment had a substantial impact on me going into tech and getting into electrical engineering in college. The kit now hangs on a wall in our house because of that. I also loved the Forest M. Mims booklets that described how components and circuits worked, and I still have them.
My wife went back to school to become a teacher, and she had a science class that covered basic electronics. She found the explanations very confusing, so I gave her that Forest Mims notebook to help her. It cleared everything up!
Yeah, my kids had both, and to be clear, I think that Snap Circuits are fun. I don't think it's terribly educational unless you have a person to walk you through it and explain what it means, though.
Would you be able to recommend any "modern" electronic learning kits for adults? I saw these as a kid but never got to play with any.
I didn't realize Elenco also makes old-style kits, although the 130 (https://shop.elenco.com/consumers/electronic-playground-130.html) currently says "Coming Soon".
According to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKrOo7zVU24 it's similar to the old Radio Shack 150 kit, but the projects are a bit more complicated (and include digital logic chips).
I think you're spot on with respect to the utility of the Elenco sets. I have two children, tried it out on both of them, and while there is some momentary instant of 'fun' getting the thing to do what the instructions said it was going to do, there is nothing really learned, no insight gained, no curiosity sparked. In that sense it's a lot like the modern LEGO sets where the goal seems to be primarily just to complete the given instructions, and less to spark any kind of creativity.
By the way, I grew up in the Netherlands with one of these:
https://www.pi4raz.nl/index.php/2009/01/04/philips-experimenteerdozen/
In hindsight, I was too young at the time to be able to really understand the more complex parts (transistors); but, also in hindsight, I think for me that was the point: it triggered a desire to _want_ to understand it. Thinking about it now I realize that that kit might have played a role in me ultimately going to get my EE degree.
I don't know what the underlying societal theme is that explains all of this. But there is some fair amount of "dumbing down" and "challenge removing" that is happening, and the kids are worse off for it. Even all this Mark Rober stuff I see on YouTube is the same: it's a lot of fun to watch, but is anybody actually being challenged by any of it?
Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Czech tradition is something people here don't let go easily, so you can still buy some old-school stuff: https://www.voltik.cz/stavebnice-voltik/voltik-3/
I had one of the Radio Shack kits, used it a ton, and my enjoyment had a substantial impact on me going into tech and getting into electrical engineering in college. The kit now hangs on a wall in our house because of that. I also loved the Forest M. Mims booklets that described how components and circuits worked, and I still have them.
I loved that Forest Mims notebook from Radio Shack! I credit that for getting me into the 7400 series. Good for you for hanging on to it.
My wife went back to school to become a teacher, and she had a science class that covered basic electronics. She found the explanations very confusing, so I gave her that Forest Mims notebook to help her. It cleared everything up!
I have a German early kit, and the Radio Shack snap-together kit also. Used both to teach kids.
Yeah, my kids had both, and to be clear, I think that Snap Circuits are fun. I don't think it's terribly educational unless you have a person to walk you through it and explain what it means, though.