Choosing which classes to take next year can be a very difficult choice. Robotics could be a good choice if you want a hands on learning experience.
What is robotics? At Colonia High School, robotics is an R track lab based science course that is offered to sophomore, junior, and senior students. Revolving around student-centered learning and group-oriented problem solving, Robotics is in its third at CHS. Students in the class divide into groups of four and each group receives a Lego Ev3 robot kit. With the kit, they have the capabilities to construct a robot and modify it to their own liking. In addition to a robot kit, each group also gets to use laptops. With the two laptops, they are able to program their robot to perform certain actions and complete different tasks. Each group gets the chance to customize their group, being able to name their team and give it a custom logo.
When interviewing Mr. Thomas Rollis, instructor of the course, he said that you need to be able to handle setbacks and learn from your mistakes. He added that, “Understanding your mistakes and working towards fixing them is what makes your robot work.” He believes that the importance of all projects relies on good communication skills. Group members need to be on the same page in order for their robot to complete its task successfully. He also described the class as a good one for anyone with a basic appreciation for mechanics and computer science.
Some may think that this class isn’t for them, because they don’t know very much about mechanics or computer science. Don’t panic though, as Rollis stated, “Even if you don’t like science, the problem solving process that you learn in this class is worth taking the class for.” The teacher and other students helped Sweta Patel, who is currently in robotics. Sweta stated that she didn’t know much about robotics when she came into the class, but with the help of Mr. Rollis and her classmates, she learned.
Rollis pushes his students to try and find solutions themselves. But, he is always willing to help out students if they have questions for him. He has had a passion for robotics since he was four years old and he loves teaching. He loves teaching because he wants to set his students up for success in their future. Rollis thinks that robotics is a key field in the world and explained, “I think both boys and girls should be exposed to a robotics type curriculum as early as elementary school to get young students introduced to it before any stigmas or biased views are implemented in their thought process.” He feels that if you have a passion for robotics, then nothing should stop you from pursuing it.
