Submitted by: Janet Nowlin
School: Hermitage Technical Center
Summary
The FIRST Robotics First Tech Challenge competition provides students with the opportunity to learn teamwork, STEM and business and information technology skills through a fun and inviting sports-like competition using a Lego Mindstorms computerized brick and Tetrix motors, servos and metal construction parts.. This year’s game asks teams of students to build and program a robot that has the finesse to pick up racquet balls, the strength to move a bowling ball up a hill and the intelligence to tell if a magnet is hidden in the center of a racquet ball. Our team of 9th – 12th graders had to define their game strategy, design their robot, build and program the robot and create a brand for their team.
TIPC Ratings
After reading the game rules, students synthesize the information to create a strategy for game play. The rules define a list of allowable parts for the robot build so the students are able to make the allowable parts function in their game play strategy. Students use discussion boards, blogs and internet searches to find answers to questions that guide their game play strategies as well as answers to questions that may arise about rules. Students become well versed in understanding game play rules as they master the art of assembling information that leads to building their robot.
Students have community mentors to assist with the business, engineering and programming tasks. Students use blogs, discussion boards and internet searches to communicate with other teams and FIRST game committee members to get clarification on game rules and get technical help. A team website complete with team photos, robot photos and team member bios was created to allow our team to share information with other teams and interested parties. A closed Facebook group was created so team members could share thoughts and ideas as they think of things instead of waiting for class sessions or team meetings
Students use problem solving skills to define game strategy and solve business issues within the team. Students use critical thinking skills to design robot functionality, write computer programs and test their robots functionality. During testing students work out program bugs and design flaws as they reflect.
While designing strategy for game play and the robot itself students balance risk with innovative design ideas as they try to build the most competitive robot for game play. As the robot takes shape students are constantly coming up with ideas to improve on their initial design or strategy to make the robot work better or be more competitive in the game. After each scrimmage or match students regroup and identify areas for improvement and make changes to improve performance in the next match.
