Robotics Boot Camps: Mindstorms
With LEGO Education Mindstorms EV3®
Robotics provides a highly engaging medium for creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication – four essential skills for learning and ICT within a curriculum context.
Teachers from any NSW school can book these full day excursions to MacICT. Our boot camps give students the opportunity to have the time, space and purpose to tinker. They provide a context for inquiry and discovery, leading students to become active problem solvers and engage in their own learning. These are critical practices for learning and discovery that have application across all curriculum areas.
Our Boot Camps are introductory and are designed for beginners. However they are flexible in nature so please let us know if you would like to work with us to design a day that meets your students’ needs. We also offer a special NEXT STEP NXT/EV3 Boot Camp that was developed in association with special experts for those looking to push the workshop further.
LEGO Education Mindstorms EV3®
Suitable for Years 3 – 12
Ideal for students who are new to robotics. During the Boot Camp students will learn the basic features of the LEGO EV3 Robot & Mindstorms software, build robots for specific purposes, participate in open ended challenges and document their solutions. We also have the older NXT kits if your school would prefer to use these just let us know.
During the day, students will:
- learn the basic features of the EV3 robot & Mindstorms software
- build robots for specific purposes
- participate in open-ended challenges
- document their solutions
We also offer a Next Step Boot Camp which are suitable for students who already have some experience with LEGO robotics and are ready to take it to the next level. We offer three different themes for you to choose from for this special workshop: Fun Park and Amusements, Intelligent Transport and Data Collection, or Robot Zoo. Contact us to find out more!
Keywords: Creative & Critical Thinking, STEM, STEAM, Coding, Engineering Design, Science & Maths K-10, Programming
Feedback
I enjoyed how you got to build and take apart the robot and got to make adjustments and modifications to it. I also liked the different activities and how everyone could do something.
Student
Student
This day was a “game changer” for most, if not all of the students in the way the workshops presented the various challenges to their enjoyment. They are reluctant to leave!!!
Teacher
The opportunities for the students to solve problems rather [than] listening to someone telling them how was the best part of today’s workshop. Similarly, the opportunity for the students to select their own challenges throughout the day was valuable.
Teacher
Book now
Contact us now to enquire about booking in your class.
Term 4 2016 is now fully booked. Unfortunately, we are unable to take bookings for 2017. Apologies for any inconvenience.
Tuesdays, Wednesday & Thursdays during NSW school terms, subject to facilitator and room availability.
Our workshops are delivered at our Centre in Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW.
There is a maximum of 30 students per class. We can take a maximum of two classes per day.
Boot Camp excursions usually run from 9am-2:30pm. If you need to adjust this because of travel time please let us know.
Flat rate of $528 inclGST per class of up to 23 students. An extra $22 will be charged per additional student up to the max number per class.
DoE schools will be direct debited by the NSW DoE. Non-DoE schools will be invoiced after the event based on final student numbers.
Note: cancellations made within 2 days of the event will incur a $200 cancellation fee.
Facilitators
John Burfoot
Developer & Facilitator
John is our lead LEGO® robotics facilitator and has worked as part-time school teacher with the Catholic Education Office in Sydney, specialising in science and robotics. He holds a Bachelor of Education (Primary) degree, a Certificate IV in Training & Assessment, and is a qualified electronics technician. John has facilitated hundreds of LEGO® robotics workshops to teachers and students across Sydney, including State, Catholic and Independent schools. He has consulted for LEGO® Australia, Moore Educational Pty Ltd, and the Southern Region CEO, Sydney. John has presented and spoken at numerous educational conferences, including the Association of Independent Schools of NSW, ICT Educators of NSW, St George & Sutherland Community College and the NSW Priority Schools Program’s Equity Conference at Darling Harbour.
Kylie Stanley
Facilitator
Kylie began working for MacICT 2013, in a hands-on teaching role running day-long Boot Camps in Robotics. Kylie has a passion for technology and innovation, and enjoys working with students to explore and problem-solve using new and engaging technologies. Kylie holds a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Education) and a Bachelor of Education (Primary). She is also Early Childhood trained and holds a Diploma in Children’s Services. In addition to MacICT, Kylie has 10 years experience working in areas of curriculum and teaching and learning in the higher education sector.
Sarah Boyd
Developer & Facilitator
Dr Sarah Boyd is a LEGO® Robotics facilitator and part-time high school teacher of Computing and Mathematics. She has recently retrained as a teacher having had a long career as a software programmer and Electrical Engineer. She began facilitating at MacICT in 2014 where she combines her engineering and programming background with her love of teaching. She completed her PhD in Computer Science at Macquarie University in 1999.
