In Powell schools, robotics lessons start at an early age

‘A vision toward the future of K-12 learning’

Posted 8/6/19

How do you get kids to willingly sign up for additional learning after school, when they could be at home watching TV or playing with friends? Introduce a robot.

In Southside Elementary …

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In Powell schools, robotics lessons start at an early age

‘A vision toward the future of K-12 learning’

Posted

How do you get kids to willingly sign up for additional learning after school, when they could be at home watching TV or playing with friends? Introduce a robot.

In Southside Elementary School’s after-school robotics program, kids have fun while learning important skills in problem-solving and programming.

“It sounded really fun, and it was,” said Caden Barker, who participated in robotics as a fourth-grader last year. “I really did enjoy it.”

Since starting its robotics program several years ago, Southside has seen participation skyrocket.

“I think the first year we had our program, we had but six students attend,” said Mark Browning, a fourth-grade teacher at Southside who helps lead the program.

The following year, Browning wrote a grant with the help of Principal Scott Schiller, and Southside was awarded “a very sizable chunk of money” to buy 20 Lego Ev3 kits and 40 Lego WeDo kits.

With the new robotics kits, the program drew 19 students the following year, a mixture of fourth- and fifth-graders. It nearly doubled the next year.

This past school year, every fourth-grader from Southside was invited to join the program, and 44 out of 52 kids attended.

“The reason why we decided to run the robotics program as a grade level, after-school [program] is that the Wyoming Standards for Computer Science are rapidly changing to incorporate robotics and an increased emphasis on programming,” Browning said. “And as this happens, Mr. Schiller wanted to see if we could stay out ahead for these standard changes and respond to them in a unique and engaging way for students.”

Parkside and Westside schools also offer robotics programs, and they have the same number of kits that Southside received.

“It allowed our district to become one of the pre-eminent robotics programs across the country with already superb high school and middle school programs,” Browning said.

He praised the strong support of Principal Schiller and the district’s administrative team under former Superintendent Kevin Mitchell and current Superintendent Jay Curtis.

“It truly shows a vision towards the future of K-12 learning,” he said.

As Wyoming looked to adopt computer science standards in recent years, Park County School District No. 1 was far ahead of other districts in its curriculum and robotics programs.

“As school staffs continue to learn how to use these materials and more and more kids join in the programming ranks, we could be a leading district in the United States and the world in what we offer students for programming and robotics,” Browning said.

 

‘I love to make robots’

Unlike some activities, robotics is accessible to any student at any educational level and ability, Browning said.

“It is truly unique in this regard,” he said.

When fourth-graders were asked why they chose to participate in after-school robotics at Southside, most said it’s fun.

“I think it is fun because I like to learn new things,” said Dayton Lawrence. “... I enjoy it a lot. It is fun playing with robots.”

For Ava Brewer, the motivation to sign up was that “I thought it would be something different than sports.”

“I did it because I love to make robots and program them,” said Anika Anderson.

Robotics is engaging for almost all kids who attempt it, Browning said.

“In general, I am not a great fan of technology in the hands of young children in education,” he added.

He thinks technology can be used as a substitute for the most important aspects of a student’s education — the ability to analyze and solve their own problems — by removing time to work on those skills.

Analyzation and problem-solving should be taught first, he said, as technology does not inherently teach those skills.

“Robotics and programming, however, tie this attribute into the technology so that the technology being learned is also teaching the most important skills of analyzation and problem-solving,” Browning said. “That is why I have become such a believer in this program.”

It’s also beneficial to teach kids robotics at an early age, he said, when they can progress at a quick pace.

“Very young students are not often held back in the ways that older students and adults often are,” Browning said. “When given the appropriate opportunity, young students will try anything. They will attempt whatever they conjure up without regard to success or failure, and they will do it persistently.”

Southside’s after-school program begins with the most rudimentary skills in programming and computer science. “However, by the time they leave they have grown tremendously and have a glowing confidence in what they can do with programming and robotics,” Browning said.

For all of the staff involved in the after-school robotics program — Robyn Paul, Avery Dove, Heidi Dicks, Kristen Kloeckner, Michelle Giltner and Browning — one of the most rewarding things is living vicariously through the kids as they begin to explore this new programming and robotics world, Browning said.

“The enthusiasm with which students approach the robotics curriculum is amazing and infectious for anyone working around them,” he said.

Students who catch the robotics bug then have the opportunity to pursue it further at Powell Middle School, Powell High School and beyond.

Southside student Diana Vega said she wants to become one of the best coders, programmers and developers.

“What I mainly learned was that if you do work and try your best, you’ll get to have fun playing with your very own bot,” said Vega.

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