Patrick Watt with Mindstorm robot.
Source: Museum Victoria
Robots emerge from "the shadow of Scienceworks."
Ever since being seconded to Scienceworks from the Catholic Education Office Melbourne (CEOM), teacher Patrick Watt had been concerned with the meagre take-up of science in schools he saw as being located “in the shadow of Scienceworks.”
Seeking to develop partnerships to improve this situation, Patrick has secured funds to make Scienceworks central to a cluster of local schools that will now adopt science as a major focus of their curriculum.
With five primary schools - four Catholic education sector schools and Spotswood Primary School - already committed, it is anticipated the program will broaden to create links with secondary schools and eventually partnerships with local industry.
Funding was provided as part of the Federal Government Quality Teacher Program, via the CEOM, with participating schools sharing a grant totalling $11,500 to form the Robotics Project Group. In addition to convening this group, Patrick is also an annual judge of the Victorian Robocup challenge.
The grant has allowed the group to purchase Mindstorm robots and associated programming software, develop a web page to share information, and also to conduct a full-day professional development workshop in robotics and Mindstorm computer programming at Scienceworks.
Group members are now implementing the Robotics Project at their schools, with Patrick also conducting in-school sessions for group members. All partners are extremely positive about the project and its outcomes, and are exploring ways to establish more Robotics Project groups.
The project’s next stage will see these schools demonstrating their robots at Scienceworks, in the form of synchronised dance and robotic rescues!
Update: Patrick has just secured another $2500 to incorporate an additional school, and is optimistic that funding for the whole project will continue next year.