Why Robotics?

It is becoming increasingly important for schools to improve and broaden their scope and selection of technological subjects/topics in order to compete in a global market. More and more robotics manufacturers are noticing this potentially huge market and are making their products more "user-friendly" so that teachers can incorporate them into their courses more easily. The big winners seem to be those that offer the most "bang for the buck"; easy to use and inexpensive products like Arduino are becoming more widespread and children are being introduced to robotics at younger and younger ages. Robotics offers the perfect outlet for students not only because it is at the forefront of technology, and appeals to (almost) everyone, but also because it:

• offers a hands-on learning approach which students love
• incorporates multiple disciplines and opens career possibilities
• promotes technological literacy
• students must demonstrate resource and time management
• encourages teamwork and problem solving
• curriculum material is becoming increasingly available
• increasing support from both the public and private sectors

If you have a story you would like to share about how robotics played an important role in your school, or how you would have liked to have had the opportunity to use robotics in school, we invite you to share your experiences and comments in the comments section below.