Rob Nelson - Principle of Bannockburn Primary School
"Bannockburn Primary School introduced a Robotics program to the curriculum of a group of grade 5/6 students this year.
The Robotics program was chosen to become part of our 'HiHaHe' program.
The 'HiHaHe' program focuses on providing learning opportunities for students that are:

High Interest - Learning opportunities that are stimulating, engaging, challenging and that provide a vehicle to tap into the interests of students and thus helps deliver the curriculum.

High Achievement - Programs that can address the needs of high achievers. This includes programs that focus on higher order thinking skills, problem-solving, integrated inquiry etc.

High Expectation - We aim to set high expectations in our teaching and learning. We follow the credo 'Children can do remarkable things when they have remarkable things to do'.

Our aim of the 'HiHaHe' program, and the Robotics in particular was to engage our students in an authentic learning opportunity that met the needs of the students, as well as provided an opportunity for teachers to deliver aspects of the curriculum in an engaging manner to enthuse the students and challenge them.
Robotics was chosen as it met our needs. Students are stimulated and engaged by the opportunity to work collaboratively on designing and building a robot.

The Robotics program encapsulated a number of the pedagogical approaches that we believe underpin best practice in this area.
These components include: Problem-solving, persistence, scaffolded learning, high expectations, collaborative learning, risk-taking, test - evaluate - modify.

Our students were challenged to design a robot that could automatically build a pipeline and operate in a hostile environment. As our students were studying water (the design challenge was tailored to our needs) this challenge built upon the students prior knowledge. The robot the children had to build and program had to be able to traverse a set distance while carrying a load of pipe and then place the pipe in the trench.
The children worked in pairs. Their learning was structured (e.g. a session on mobility, another on mechanisms to lift). Students were able to predict and test possible solutions and then modify to improve their design (this ability to ‘try again’ was greatly appreciated by all students). All students, whether they had prior experience and knowledge or were novices, were able to achieve success. There was no one right answer. Students could learn with and from each other, sharing ideas and suggestions was the norm.

The robotics program provided to us by Robotic Education met our aims and more. Students are still talking about it. We will sign up again. More importantly, students have learnt about themselves as learners. There has been a transference into other areas of their learning. Teachers have discovered more about their students as learners. Teacher have improved and changed their teaching. We highly recommend the Robotic Education incursion."

Margaret Scott - School Development Consultant, Wimmera / Mallee Network.
"... thank you for such great sessions in Horsham. I have had wonderful feedback, and some regrets from people who heard about the day and did not take the opportunity to be there.

I was certainly impressed with the kids' participation, imagination and self discipline. You got so much out of them! Thank you for your contribution to imaginative and technological processes in the Wimmera."

Teacher Comments - Wimmera / Mallee Network (School for Innovation and Excellence)
"Excellent program, all students were very motivated and created some amazing robots. Students worked well in groups and were helpful to other groups."

"I felt it was a great experience for everyone to be able to buld a moving robot using ideas from each other, whilst working together in a team. Everyone was very motivated to complete their set task. It was a new experience for many of us, but a very enjoyable experience, being able to create whilst being challenged."

Students Comments - Wimmera / Mallee Network (School for innovation and Excellence)
"I enjoyed the robotics session because it made me more creative."

"It was great to use stuff like that and it was fun, interesting and cool. I would do it again anytime."

"I had a great time and did everyone else."

"I have realy enjoyed the sessions because they were fun."

"The practical sessions were fun and the teachers were using a different style of teaching."

"It was great, it's given me an interest in robotics and I hope other kids get to do this too."

"I enjoyed learning something new and it was a challenge."

"I enjoyed it as it's different to the normal sessions we have and it's fun."

"I had a great time in Kevin's class."

"I liked the robotic session, it was a great experience..."

"Doubtful at the start but then had more confidence in my self."

Misc. Teacher's Comments
"The demonstration sessions were fantastic and really created a lot of interest and enjoyment for the children" - Andrew, Ford Discovery Centre

"The workshop was an outstanding success" - Rosemary, Country Education Project

"An excellent program. All the students were very motivated and created some amazing robots. Students worked well in groups and were helpful to other groups."

"I felt it was a great experience for everyone to be able to build a moving robot using ideas from each other, whilst working together in a team. Everyone was very motivated to complete their set task. It was a new experience for many of us, but a very enjoyable experience.

"Thanks to [Kevin] and Pauline for a great day. The reaction of the students spoke for itself and was testament to the way you both interacted with the students and they way you set it up."

Misc. Student's Comments
"I had the, oh I can't think of the words to say about it, it was just the best best best day I've ever had"

"I didn't know that learning about motion and forces could be so much fun"

"I wish school was like this"

"I can't believe I could get so excited seeing my robot walking"