Subject: Re: BEAM at school<=
/DIV>
Speaking of getting BEAM into the school =
community, I'm currently working
towards getting a robotics clu=
b at =
my high school. I don't know if many will
be interested but if =
we =
can get around 5 people to become serious members, it
would be =
worth =
it. The only thing I fear is that we'll have many people
gettin=
g =
into it just for the "coolness" of robotics but once they=
=
realize it
actually requires learning and thinking, they'll dro=
p it. =
Those that remain
might feel pressure to drop it after all thei=
r =
buddies do.
The pros if this works out would =
be =
great. Building in the physics lab
every week or so, solar roll=
er =
races, perhaps even group trips to the BEAM
Games or workshops.=
Now =
if I can only get this thing started...
-Brien the =
TurtleTek
Brien, I say this with all sincerity, Good luck with your =
attempt.... I've tried for the last two years now to get an =
enthusiastic group going. You will likely find that initially you'l=
l get =
a fairly good turn out, but just as you say, as soon as they find i=
t =
intails a little work and thinking some will drop out. But st=
ick =
with it, you will end up with four or five good people. Remem=
ber =
though, as competitive as young people are at that age, everyone st=
ill =
must share their ideas. I found also that it helps (even=
=
though BEAM is our first love) to offer them other robotic =
directions. By this I mean, I split the idea pool into three =
catagories, first of course BEAM, secondly I offered SUMO bots as a=
n =
idea, and thirdly, we have some "antique" robots that are=
in =
need of restoration. This helped a lot in bringing in interes=
ted =
parties.
In case you were curious the "antique" robot I was =
talking about is an original Heathkit HERO I..... Perhaps som=
e of =
you out there remember him and his buddies..... I think circa=
=
1970's although I could be off a bit.
Anyway give it a try, what can you loose? And don't forg=
et to =
ask a favourite instructor or two, most of us are just big kids =
anyway.
Take care and let me know how it goes.
Les Davis,
Electronics Instructor,
IV>
University College of the Fraser =
Valley
Career Technical Centre
IV>
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