THINKING, designing, creating, building, problem-solving, programming, re-designing . . . St Alcuin students have certainly been busy.
One of their extra-curricular activities includes a top-notch robotics program. With dedication and perseverance, students in Grade 3 to Grade 10 have been working together to design and build robots that can meet a specific challenge.
Some of the students are working towards the First Lego League provincial competition in March at BCIT. Others will go to Washington for a middle school VEX Robotics competition in mid-February, where they hope to qualify for the 2013 VEX Robotics High School World Championship in California in April.
A robotics course speaks to St Alcuin's core philosophy, which is one of experiential learning. Experiential learning is synonymous with "observation, reflection and interaction."
"This program requires an authentic hands-on approach to learning, which is exactly what we want for our students," explains Edmund de Beer, cofounder of St Alcuin.
The program is taught by the 2012 VEX Robotics World Champion coach, Todd Ablett. A seasoned educator, Ablett has qualified teams for the world championships for six consecutive years, leading his teams to first and second place finishes.
A Prime Minister's Teaching Excellence Award winner, he was also recently awarded the prestigious Queen Elizabeth ll Diamond Jubilee Medal for his outstanding contribution in the field of education, specifically in the area of robotics in the province of British Columbia. According to Ablett, VEX Robotics offers students a platform for learning about areas rich with career opportunities spanning science, technology, engineering and math.
"It's a great way to improve your problem-solving techniques while collaborating with team players who are all working towards a common end goal with set deadlines," explains Ablett.
Teamwork, skill-building and critical thinking in a fun environment are all benefits for the St Alcuin robotics students.
