Educational Robotics Programs

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 Introducing young people to robotics at an early age can spark their interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, providing them with valuable skills and a strong foundation for future careers. Here are some strategies and resources to help youth get started with robotics: 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐬 Begin with basic robotics kits that are designed for beginners. These kits typically come with easy-to-follow instructions and allow children to build and program simple robots. This hands-on experience helps demystify technology and encourages problem-solving and creativity. 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Many schools and community centers offer robotics clubs where kids can work together on projects. Participating in competitions like FIRST Robotics allows students to apply their skills in a fun and challenging environment while fostering teamwork and innovation. 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐦 Advocate for robotics programs in your local schools. Many schools are beginning to integrate robotics into their curriculum, providing students with regular access to robotics education as part of their daily learning. 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 Numerous online platforms offer free tutorials, coding lessons, and robotics challenges tailored for young learners. These resources can supplement in-school learning or allow for independent study. 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐬 Enrolling kids in robotics camps or workshops during school breaks can provide intensive learning experiences. These programs are often designed to be engaging and offer deeper dives into specific areas of robotics. 𝟓 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐊-𝟏𝟐 🤖 FIRST - https://lnkd.in/emDPnC_Z 🤖 VEX Robotics - https://lnkd.in/e5rnZ9Ux 🤖 RoboNation - https://www.robonation.org 🤖 BotsIQ - https://botsiqpa.org/ 🤖 Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy - https://lnkd.in/e8FGyr5J By utilizing these resources and strategies, parents, educators, and community leaders can help ignite a passion for robotics in young learners, setting them on a path toward innovation and success in the future.

Had a great chat with Jason McKenna, VP of Global Education Strategy at VEX Robotics, on our latest episode of the STEM Heroes podcast. If you're an educator looking to inspire students through robotics design, coding, and competitions (or are just interested in STEM in general), then this episode is for you! VEX Robotics is a huge STEM education provider, serving millions of students worldwide. Jason shared his inspiring story of going from a regular classroom teacher who knew nothing about robotics, to absolutely loving using robots to teach vital skills like problem-solving, teamwork, creativity, and computational thinking. He gave a behind-the-scenes look at the VEX Robotics World Championship, where over 25,000 students from 70+ countries recently gathered to compete with robots they built and coded themselves. You’ll hear amazing stories showcasing the students’ excitement, collaboration, and brilliant problem-solving abilities. But maybe most valuably, Jason stressed how important it is to embrace failure and complexity in the STEM learning process, rather than just focusing on final results or performances. Whether you’re already using robotics in class or looking to start, this episode offers insights and practical tips like: 💰 Ways to get funding through grants and corporate partnerships 👩🏫 How to support teachers in bringing robotics to the classroom 🌎 Making robotics learning accessible from elementary through university If you’re passionate about making STEM education more engaging and hands-on for students, make sure to check it out here! https://lnkd.in/eTFKHgER

CobiotX in EDU. The possibilities are limitless! The potential for educational robotics to advance student learning and empower teachers to raise their impact in the classroom is more achievable than ever. We must however, consider shifting our mindset to the existing challenges that robotics and robotics combined with AI can address. Using RAI (Robot Assisted Instruction) in ESL, ELL, Neuro-diverse learning and foreign language instruction is now both affordable and practical when designed well. Recent research now supports the effects of RAI in the classroom. https://lnkd.in/eF9ZnArq. Educational leaders can no longer view robotics as simply a coding and programming vehicle, but rather as an integral part of the overall curriculum and IEPs, not just part of a STEM program. Paired with the right educational applications, RAI is also an opportunity to address teacher retention and shortages. Our inboxes are now brimming with many offers on how to use remaining ESSER funds on STEM, but let's look beyond the "toys" with the best marketing; embrace the opportunity to rethink learning with RAI as a curriculum-driven solution, not a product selection. Today, members of our Learning Team are meeting to continue developing more strategies and professional learning to maximize educational robotics, RAI and AI across the curriculum and solve existing challenges in EDU.