Design Technology: Engineering - VEX Robotics (Elective)

“I never understood how the Son of God who created electricity chose to come to earth at a time when He had to go to bed by candle-light, or how He who understood all the principles of aerodynamics and spacecraft was willing to travel from place to place riding on a donkey.” Major Ian Thomas

Overview

Students in this course will be introduced to the field of robotics and explore how they are used in our world. The VEX Robotics Design System, combined with Robot C software, teach students how different aspects of engineering are used in the field of robotics. Students learn how to build, wire and program their robot as they explore how the hardware is entirely controlled by commands they create in software. Students will engage in solving abstract problems in computer programming activities as well as practical hands on engineering tasks. Together, these will provide opportunities for them to develop, practice and demonstrate creative and critical thinking skills in all aspects of their work.

Aims

• Provide students with opportunities to apply maths, geometry and reasoning skills in practical, relevant and contextualised ways
• Students will explore computational skills through coding, C+ programming, electronics and robotics
• Develop technological, problem-solving and hands-on practical skills
• To solve an engineering problem, the students would need to design parts, build them, write code and then evaluate their success. This problem solving process will allow them to be inventors of both hardware and software in creative and exciting ways
• Explore many career fields; including engineering, science, mathematics, computer aided design (CAD), electronics
• CAD drawing and designing: Using Autodesk Fusion 360

Topics Include

• C+ programming and coding
• VEX robotics – designing and creating a robot
• Robot wars – Challenge
• Engineering Challenge
• Inquiry Project - Mechanical Advantage

Time Allocations

• 4 periods per cycle for a whole year

Pre requisites

• None

Requirements

• Levy cost

Assessment

• C+ Programming & Coding
• Robot Design
• Design Process
• Robot Challenge
• Team Collaboration

“Looks also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things.” James 3:4-5