CSTA New England Regional Conference 2019

Robots are cool, and cheap or free resources like 3D modeling software, commodity hardware, and approachable languages like Python make it easier than ever before for students and teachers to design and build their own robotics projects.  The field of robotics sits at the intersection of mechanics, electronics, and coding and can be a great hook for students with an interest in one of those areas while providing opportunities to stretch into the adjacent ones.  LoisLab is teaching students and teachers how to design and build their own custom, programmable robots - not a kit - using less than $50 in materials, and our classes are free.

In this session, we will talk about resources available for teachers and students who are interested in doing more with robotics, robotics as an independent exploration versus a classroom activity, how robot design can provide an important alternative to competitive robotics activities, tool-agnostic design and fabrication concepts, and the value of independent work in a student's pursuit of pathways into higher education and technical careers.