Abstract:

The VEX Robotics’ Challenge is an all-inclusive STEM programme and competition which has been delivered by the Connecting STEM Teachers Programme of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Ulster University to young people from a diverse range of post-primary schools since 2015. It has being delivered five times, most recently in June 2019. Some earlier findings were disseminated previously to ICERI in 2019.

Most recently, primary schools have been included in the cohort of schools although the Covid 19 crisis has made it impossible to hold an event this year (the Robotics’ Challenge is traditionally been held in July in a special needs’ school).

Upon joining the programme schools are given a VEX Clawbot kit to build and practice controlling within STEM clubs. It is designed to provide opportunities for both special needs and non-special needs students to engage with robotics throughout the school year within their school STEM clubs. A key objective for STEM clubs is to undertake additional research, activities and reports related to the application of robotics for space exploration, medicine, bomb disposal and career pathways in the field of robotics. Participating schools are then invited to come together to compete in an annual competition event.

The session will collate and showcase some key evaluation findings over the years including the 2019 results. Presenters will also share insights, reflections, lessons learned and the recipe for its success.

It will also disseminate enhancements to the programme over the years, redesigned as a result of feedback received from organisers, teachers and participants. It will also showcase case studies from a range of participating schools about how the schools, teacher and pupils are benefiting and learning from engaging with STEM clubs and the programme.

New plans to offer CPD opportunities for teachers to further support STEM Clubs and provide teachers with the skills necessary to promote increased knowledge and understanding about robotics among pupils and increase interest in careers in STEM will be presented.

To encourage primary school teachers to engage with the programme, primary schools (and post-primary schools) have been provided with line-tracking robots which students use to determine their design limitations and to suggest improvements to the design.
The presenters will also showcase a newly-developed control system to enable student participants who may have coordination problems to access the Robotics’ Challenge and to enable them to compete with students who do not have such problems. This is the total inclusivity which has been a cornerstone of the Robotics’ Challenge since its inception in 2015.

Since 2018, the programme has asked teachers to encourage their students to “Think like an Engineer” by developing “Engineering Habits of Mind”, cultivating problem-solving skills, creativity, making and learning from errors, reviewing and planning. These skills will not only help students with their studies in the STEM subjects, but also other areas of the curriculum and provide the skills needed in the 21st century workforce.

This session should appeal to those with an interest in STEM, robotics, schools’ outreach, widening access and participation and inclusivity. Attendees will have the opportunity to operate all of the robots used in the programme.

Keywords:

STEM, Robotics, Widening Access, Schools engagement, inclusivity, Engineering Habits of Mind, line tracking robot.