Robots have become more and more helpful to people nowadays. As robotic technology continues to break ground in various industries across the globe, its presence becomes more valuable to humans.
For the young children at home, introducing robotics is one way of developing their curiosity in an immersive way and preparing them early into the world of electrical and mechanical engineering that embodies robotics. For example, you can introduce the Root rt1 iRobot Coding Robot for them to enjoy while learning to build and program it.
The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) trend will allow homeschoolers to be more adept with the high technology applications in their young lives. Robotics will open their eyes to the realities of the tech world and encourage them to follow the career trend that they will be entering in the future. Parents can also teach them about time management, discipline, and attention during the activities.
As parents, we can assure our children of the kind of education they need today. The search for quality and applicable curriculum from science, math, science, technology curriculum that covers robotics should be constant effort of the parents for their homeschoolers. However, it is also important for the parents to consider their children’s personality, learning capabilities, and interests. Since the choice of robotics as a curriculum for young learners can be challenging, parents can find some easy ways to adapt the subject to their children. It will be a good option for them to do this thing.
By the time parents can introduce a solid background in STEM to the homeschoolers, the learners will now have endless possibilities in appreciating robotics, thereby shifting their attention to the real-life learning of this subject for their future career.
“Robotics combines mechanical and electrical engineering, with coding, design, and other disciplines. It takes all these components to design and build robots. As the need for robots increases, the need for people to create them will, also. Looking to the future is always good when choosing a career. Go where the jobs will be,” said tech writer Marci Goodwin, whose goal in life is “to take the fear out of and put the fun into homeschool science.”
Becky Muldrow, a mother and a tech writer herself, also said that “learning about robotics is a great way for homeschooling teens to get hands-on experience with engineering, mathematics, technology, and problem-solving skills.”
Some robotics programs for homeschoolers
By the time the young learners get a solid grasp of STEM, they can start picking some educational programs covering building, programming, and designing robots.
1. Engineering Go for It
Engineering Go for It (eGFI) is a website that contains lots of resources on engineering and robotics for all types of learners. Some of the programs students can learn include programming a Roomba vacuum, engineering a bee, and many other activities. The site is supported by the American Society for Engineering Education. eGFI also gives learning opportunities to homeschoolers through the provision of internet resources, lesson plans, and news updates for would be-engineers.
2. Lego Education
Lego Education is another exciting curriculum for teenagers at home who want to learn programming and robotics.
The Lego Education has complete lesson plans for educators covering scientific inquiries, data analysis, and design. Interestingly, Lego Education also hold regular competitions about robotics, science, and technology across the United States. The company also organizes Robot Olympiad, where students from over 60 countries join and compete. Many robotics lessons use Lego Mindstorms.
3. VEX Robotics
VEX EDR is a robotics education program crafted for middle and high school students. As a project-based and modular lesson, VEX Robotics provides hands-on learning for the students to be challenged. VEX Robotics covers 13 modules that provide a glimpse to the students on the basics of robotics. The curriculum can be both used for homeschoolers and classroom purposes.
4. NASA
The NASA website is a fascinating place to introduce robotics to homeschoolers. The young learners will get the chance to see plenty of images, videos, website resources, and career backgrounds covering engineering and robotics. Homeschoolers can also be introduced on tech-related activities like creating robotic parts, planning a travel to Mars or controlling robots via a calculator.
5. Innovator’s Tribe
Innovator’s Tribe is an online course with self-paced lessons and activities for Robotics & Automation. The course contains 30 hours of instruction to introduce robotics-related activities like building or programming robots. Innovator’s Tribe also has a 3D programming software a learner can use even after the expiration of the course access.
6. Bitsbox
Bitsbox is a subscription-based program that provides young learners a themed kit with lots of basic coding resources to design or alter their apps or games.
7. EEME
EEME is a kit-based resource that allows students to understand the basics of electronics. Every month, EEME provides a box containing a hands-on electronics project kit that connects to web-based learning activities. A student will be led to another kit for further learning and innovation of the subject for each kit. One of the boxes has simple Q The Robot that a student can build.
Other family activities that introduce robotics to young children
While it is true that the robotics program can be unpopular and a challenging learning opportunity for children who struggle in math and science, parents can find plenty of resources or support to help them emphasize the importance of robotics to the life of their kids. Below are some of the linkages and activities that can help parents how to nurture positive impressions in robotics and engineering to their young kids at home:
1. Join Robotics Clubs
One of the easiest ways to foster enthusiasm for robotics is to let your children join robotics clubs in your locality. These clubs can be community-based, after-school robotics club, or in-school program.
Giving your kids a chance to join activities for robotics with other young learners in your area helps the children overcome their shyness about the robotics program. Your children can also build a lasting friendship with the other robot enthusiast in the club.
2. Attend Coding Camps
During summer breaks, you can let your children join coding and robotics camps in your area. These camps are excellent for your young kids to learn basic coding and engineering through hands-on activities and workshops. The experience will give life-long learning opportunities to your kids.
3. Participate Online Communities
Finding and joining online robotics communities are some of the fantastic options for your children to learn robotics in a self-paced manner at the comfort of your home. These online robotics communities are Circuit Bender, Bitster, and Makezine, and many more. Letting your children join these online robotics communities, with your guidance, is one way for your children to build their self-confidence about the subject.
4. Visit Robotics Museums
Tech museums are abounding nowadays. In the USA, parents can bring their kids to the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, California. There at the museum, they will learn the many wonders of robotics, engineering, and Artificial Intelligence, among others.
Conclusion
Providing hands-on activities for your children makes robotics and engineering subjects interesting even if they are studying them at home. It is just a matter of choosing the right robotics curriculum that suits their needs, capabilities, and interests.