Eric and Will, please enjoy this fact-based post.
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Originally Posted by Fe_Will
That's OK if you don't agree. I would prefer to continue to participate in a Varsity Level Competition.
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On the FIRST website FRC is called “The varsity sport for the mind” I cannot find the word Varsity linked with FTC, FLL, or JFLL.
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Originally Posted by Fe_Will
But, I personally feel that having a predetermined kit to work from is an extremely limiting factor in many robotics competitions out there. Yes, there are students who get something out of them but, having an open ended kit allows for a higher diversity of students to participate. For example, we are currently trying to recruit a senior who has his welding certificate from our local community college. Whether or not he joins the team is completely dependent on being able to weld to keep his skills up. There is no way we could recruit him if we did VRC/FTC. The opportunities for students to be exposed to and learn about real world manufacturing, fabrication and assembly are so much more advanced in FRC.
My other major issue with VRC/FTC/FLL is the event format. Having multi-day FRC events makes our program stand out as being something more than a science fair to our school and community. Having regionals where students on our team get to tell their their friends that they are going to a 3 day event in another state is a BIG deal. And for those students who aren't on the honor roll or play a sport it is a HUGE deal.
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Facts and information for why Will chooses FRC with respect to other competitions. Even if some are just opinions. But does he think that FTC/FLL/JFLL is not important?
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Originally Posted by Fe_Will
Do mentors helping students build robots regardless of size inspire? Yes.
Do robots regardless of size make the general public take interest in science and technology? Yes
Do students learn some important life skills like team work regardless of robot size? yes
I think that FFL is a great thing. I have personally volunteered at our local FLL event for the past 5 years (many times on my birthday). Its fun and a great scale for that age group.
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This information shows otherwise.
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Originally Posted by EricH
Note that some school districts complain about students missing a lot of school when they go to a 2-day event. (I'm leaving Saturday off because it isn't a school day.) For those schools, FTC/VRC could be a better option.
Likewise, absolutely nothing says that you can't be in one, two, three, four, or more competitions. Many a team does FTC/VRC (and FLL, in a supporting role) in the fall and FRC in the spring.
Predetermined kit to work from is NOT a limit. See the early FRC rules once again. (I understand that sometimes a drill was included--it was used for building the robot, then driving the robot.) See the creativity shown by the teams back then.
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<opinion>I fail to see any of this as hostile or insulting, but just as two people with different opinions.</opinion> Without arguments and opinions CD will be nothing but a group of yes-men. Just because someone disagrees doesn't mean they are being negative.