Reddam House in Bedfordview recently held its annual inter-house robotics competition, providing a platform for young learners to showcase their inventiveness, teamwork, and technical skills. The competition saw teams of learners aged nine to 12 complete various challenges using Lego Mindstorms Education platform and EV3 robots made entirely out of Legos.

The winners of the competition were Jessica Howsen and Zemirah Govender from the Philippians team, who secured first place. They outperformed the Red Romans house, whose teams came in second and third place respectively.

According to Reddam House teacher Brenda Kahl, introducing robotics to her learners helps them develop computational thinking. It allows them to learn essential skills such as processing, identifying patterns, problem-solving, and perseverance. In addition, Kahl believes that coding and robotics are not as challenging as they may seem at first, and the competition provides a good learning experience for students to realize this.

This is not the first time Kahl has exposed her learners to robotics and coding. Earlier this year, they participated in the Inspired Builds Global Robotics Competition, which aims to address important environmental issues through robot design. Reddam House learners placed third in the eight to nine age category with their ocean waste collector robot. The robot, named “Waste Monster,” collects water and waste from the ocean, filters the water, and disposes of the waste back onto shore.

Another notable creation from Reddam House learners is the Blue Crane robot, designed by Kian Bageloo and Michael Cole. This robotic crane uses a magnet to pick up metal waste and has touch sensors that trigger movement. The team believes that the technology behind their creation can have applications in warehouses and construction sites where heavy metals need to be moved.

Overall, the Reddam House Bedfordview inter-house robotics competition has showcased the talent and creativity of young learners in the field of robotics. It has provided them with an opportunity to learn and apply coding and computational skills while addressing real-world challenges.

Sources:
– Reddam House Bedfordview
– Personal interviews with Brenda Kahl, Reddam House teacher.