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Unread 06-07-2011, 14:50
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Arefin Bari Arefin Bari is offline
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Re: VEX Robotics for teenagers

I teach two robotics classes at Palm Beach State College. This year in the beginning when I asked my students why are they taking the class, one of their answers stood out. He said, "I have competed in FLL before, even though it's fun, I am tired of playing with Legos... I wanna play with something cooler."

I use vex robotics for my curriculum. Over the years I have acquired several vex kits and every year, I order parts to add onto the kits. In the beginning of class, a basic lesson on robotics is given and lot of videos of robots made out of vex are shown. Then we get down to brainstorming as to what they want the game to be. I like to get the students involved in the game design because it gets them more excited to build the robot; they tend to want to do more when they are involved. Over the rest of the semester, they build, program, test their robot as well as compete withing the classroom setting.

From a personal point of view, I would choose Vex over Legos because the students feel they are putting something together out of "metal;" hence the excitement.