EDUC 422 Article IV response to "No Robotics in School? 4-H Can Help. Learning and Leading Technology"

Barker, B and Richard Mahacek. (2011 November). No Robotics in School? 4-H Can Help. Learning and Leading Technology. 26-27.

This source is valuable for science or math teachers interested in enhancing their students’ knowledge. It offers links to a program called 4-H which will help students get the knowledge they need to understand robotics. The 4-H company is interested in teaching kids so they can be prepared to work and build robotics. The robots are free of charge for students. It was developed by a series of educators, teachers, engineers, and university researchers. A major concept that they want to pass on to future students is basic physical-science. The students are subject to two types of robotics: The Virtual Robotics track and Junk Drawer Robotics track. Both scenarios tend to help build students up so that they are proficient in different physical and science concepts. The lessons are open to help build students’ conceptual understanding of scientific process. It also helps students promote problem identification, framing, and solving. Also the biggest attribute is it allows students to make and observe solutions.

I don’t think as a future teacher I will be subject to teaching the 4-H robotics scenarios. I am going to become a History teacher so robotics is not a part of my curriculum. I do feel that this is an interesting concept and as a person who is just interested in the advancement of public education this seems to be a very valuable source. The fact that students can operate and work with robotics is very cool. I wish I had it when I was in school.

I feel that this best represented by NETS-S 4 “Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making”. The students are subject to learning how the robots work and solving questions that relate to the scenario and how they relate to problem solving.