First Tech Challenge: Robotics Project

First UK is a charity with a mission to “make STEM less intimidating and more inclusive – using robots and inspirational role models from industry to build science capital and a pipeline of future innovators”. First Tech Challenge UK is the British arm of the international group.

At Putney, we are committed to this and have recently appointed a Teacher of Design Thinking who teaches both Design Technology and Computer Science, as well as a bespoke Design Thinking course in year 9 focusing on robotics and the link between design and programming.

The aim of this collaboration is to provide students with the opportunity to work with others in the West London area on a project aimed at reducing the gender gap in STEM Subjects. The challenge is to build a robot to compete in the “The Ultimate Goal” game, comprising both driver-controlled and autonomous rounds. An online VLE has been created which provides teams with support and guidance on teamwork, building and programming, and strategy, as well as a virtual robotics simulator to test out designs.

Aims

Participating schools can enter up to two teams of 8-16 students from one year group to comply with the requirements of your bubbles; the year group does not matter. Given that part of the aim is to reduce the gender gap, in mixed schools the teams should be at least 50% girls.

The project is likely to require an hour per week, although this is flexible and can be delivered to suit your school day. It is likely that Computer Science / Design / Science / Maths departments will be best placed to support your students, although there is no requirement for this to be the case.

Background

This project was launched in September 2020 and is supported by HSBC funding, via the GDST.

The opportunity was identified by our Director of Digital Innovation.

The project began in September 2020 and will run for one year initially, with the hope that it can be continued beyond summer 2021, as the partner schools will continue to have access to the robotics equipment.

Resources

- Robotics kits supplied by First Tech.

- Training delivered by Putney High School ICT teachers.

- Space and time offered by Putney High School to host the final event in the summer term 2021.

- Online resources available for schools to begin setting up their own robotics teams and beginning to make plans for the project.

- The project will last for 1 year, however the robotics kits will be retained by partThe opporunity was identified by our Driector of Digital Innovationer schools for longer term use.

- The funding for each partner school consists of £800 for the purchase of the Robotics Kit and the £50 Registration Fee. Once the kit has been purchased it is the school's to keep with no obligation to continue participating in future seasons, although we hope that they will be able to do so, and to cover the annual £50 registration fee.

Pupil Involvement

- We will have two teams of 8 students involved from Putney High School, from Year 9.

- Each partner school has been asked to select up to two teams of 8 students and the aim is for the overall cohort to be at least 50% female.

- The year groups so far entered range from Y7 to Y9.

Frequency

This term, building towards face-to-face collaboration later in the year. This will be adjusted to take the Covid restrictions in mind through the remainder of the year.