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Robotics: Preparing students for life
By Jim Jackson, PE I
t was President John F. Kennedy who said, “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth” (Kennedy, 1961). With this statement, our nation
mobilized in one of the greatest efforts put forth in the area of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Since the accomplishment of putting a man on the moon, our county has been slowly losing its technological advantage. Afterschool programs are essential to help close the gap between our country and the rest of the world in science and technology by giving the students a place to foster new ideas about science and mathematics, and learning ways to apply what they have learned in the classroom. An afterschool program known as FIRST (For Inspiration
and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics has been making progress in the advancement of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses and STEM careers with our youth. FIRST Robotics offers a
14 EIU
complete, hands-on educational experience. The program is not just about having the students build a robot; it is about building confi dence and self-esteem in the students — while having the students build an interest in STEM activities. The students are not only responsible for designing, fabricating, building and testing the robot but also Web page design, building a business plan, creating a bill of materials, creating and maintaining a budget, safety, marketing, fundraising, and community service. FIRST Robotics’ mission is to motivate young people to be science and technology leaders by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, inspire innovation and foster well-rounded life capabilities, including self-confi dence, communication, and leadership (First vision). FIRST Robotics was founded by Dean Kamen, the
inventor of the Segway, 20 years ago when he saw the United States was ranked in the lower half of the developed nations in science and technology. The purpose of FIRST Robotics is to promote science and math to secondary level students and inspire more students
www.electronicscomponentsworld.com /
www.electronicsproductionworld.com February 28th 2013
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