Educational Robotics and Coding: Tools and Strategies for the Classroom of the Future

DESCRIPTION

In an age where technology is an integral part of daily life, educators play a vital role in preparing students for the future. This comprehensive 5-day training course is designed to empower teachers with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively integrate robotics and coding into their classrooms.

Who Should Attend: 

  • Educators from various subjects and grade levels.
  • Those interested in enhancing their teaching methods with Ict.
  • Teachers seeking to prepare students for STEM-related careers. 

Objectives: 

  • Provide a solid foundation in robotics and coding concepts.
  • Familiarize teachers with various educational robotics hardware.
  • Develop coding proficiency through hands-on exercises and challenges.
  • Guide teachers in designing curriculum-aligned robotics projects.
  • Foster collaboration and problem-solving skills among educators. 

Benefits: 

  • Equip educators with the tools to engage and inspire students.
  • Foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity in the classroom.
  • Promote collaboration and teamwork among students.
  • Prepare students for the digital age job market.
  • Provide a network for sharing ideas and resources among educators.   

Introduction to Robotics and Coding – Discover the significance of robotics and coding in education. – Gain fundamental knowledge of coding and robotics. – Engage in hands-on coding activities. 

Exploring Robotics Hardware – Explore different types of educational robots. – Learn about robot components and safety precautions. – Experience hands-on robot assembly and programming. 

Coding Fundamentals – Get introduced to coding languages and principles. – Master variables, loops, and conditionals. – Enhance problem-solving skills through coding exercises. 

Building and Programming Robots – Dive into robot construction projects. – Troubleshoot common robot issues. – Collaborate on robot programming tasks. 

Curriculum Integration and Best Practices – Align robotics and coding with educational standards – Design effective robotics lessons and assessments. – Share experiences for classroom implementation

Day 1

  • Introduction to Robots, automatic and control systems and programming languages
  • Presentation of participants and sharing expectations.
  • Introduction to control systems and robotics with arduino board.
  • Robot architecture: Main parts. Sensors and Actuators. 
  • Feedback concept.
  • Flux diagrams and programming. Introduction to coding.
  • Use of computer as element for coding and control. Control languages. Using scratch in mblock: an easy way to start programming.
  • An introduction to the arduino board. Inputs and outputs
  • Using a protoboard. Connecting sensors and actuators.
  • Practical use of sensors, controllers and actuators: prototyping.

Day 2

  • Using mblock for coding Arduino microcontrollers
  • Introduction to coding with mblock. Variables and functions.
  • Programming conditioning sentences and loops. 
  • Programming communication for serial ports
  • Use of sensors with mblock: potentiometer, lights, infrared, ultrasound, button, …
  • Use of peripheral devices in mblock: LEDs, DC motors, servo motors,buzzers…
  • Projects: making a digital dice; simple traffic light; two traffic lights;controlling a servo with a potentiometer.

Day 3

  • Using mblock for programming robots
  • How to build an educative robot. Recommended tools and components.
  • Continuous servo motor to move robots
  • Making a robot from scratch
  • Programming a robot: Robot that hide from lights / Robots that follow lines

Day 4

  • Robotics applications in the classroom: robots and Physics experiments for school
  • Using a commercial educational robot. Introducing mbot
  • Programming mbot: how to avoid an obstacle/ hiding from lights /robot that follows lines
  • Time measurement (timer) with arduino board and mblock.
  • Galileo’s experiment with arduino / Simulating an elevator

Day 5

  • Simulations
  • Practical applications
  • Evaluation and certification.

20/24/28/40 hours 
Course location: Infol – Innovation Training Orientation and Employment
Site:  Rome, Athens
Number of days of training: 5/6/7/10
Lesson time: 4 hours 
Language of instruction: English,French, Turkish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish,Bulgarian, Romanian.

Methodology

The course will combine theory input and discussion with analysis of practical incidents with the purpose of finding out different possible solutions. The methodology used is mainly content-based language instruction (communication through specific content).Text discussion, oral presentation and discussion, role-playing, self- and meta-reflection, debating and group interaction will be the strategies more frequently used.

  • Active methodologies
  • Role playing
  • Simulations
  • New technologies
  • Visits/workshops in educational institutions as schools, universities, educational centers, and companies

Certificates

  • Europass Mobility
  • Certificate of Attendance

Upcoming sessions

Location: Roma

  • September 2024: Week 3 (September 16 – 20)
  • October 2024: Week 4 (October 21 – 25)
  • November 2024: Week 4 (November 18 – 22)
  • January 2025: Week 5 (January 27 – 31)
  • February 2025: Week 4 (February 24 – 28)
  • April 2025: Week 1 (March 31 – April 4)
  • June 2025: Week 1 (June 2 – 6)
  • July 2025: Week 2 (July 7 – 11)
  • September 2025: Week 2 (September 8 – 12)
  • November 2025: Week 3 (November 17 – 21)
  • December 2025: Week 3 (December 15 – 19)