Strengthening Children’s Grasp of Science through Robotics
Spare a minute to think about the world our future generation will live in, roughly 30 years later. Are the little ones prepared for the change – for the future dependency on robots and AI?
The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is nowadays quite noticeable. With the term being first coined by American scientist John McCarthy in 1955, the concept of AI is not new at all today. However, the recent ability to store massive amounts of data using cloud computing and the increased accessibility to neural network technology has led to the rising use and importance of AI.
Now, we stand together to witness the Fourth Industrial Revolution, with AI gradually taking centre stage in this transformation. Hence, all of the tech giants are engaged in a never-ending race to outperform one another in acquiring superior AI capabilities, while their non-tech clients and partners are heavily embracing AI to sharpen their competitive edges.
As a result, there has been panic about AI replacing labour; but a more feasible approach to the situation would be preparing in a better way for the future. So, now is the time we must start working on this; and this is where robotics for children comes in.
Robotics is considered one of the most significant aspects of learning that equips the current generation with the qualifications needed to maintain a strong footing in a highly competitive, innovation-driven age. Robotics for children creates a gateway to coding and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) subjects, enabling students to acquire applied knowledge in various fields. Robotics is a field that deals with cutting-edge technology, playing an important role in building skills in mechanical, electrical, and electronic engineering, software engineering, technology, math, and science.
Robotics for children is an exciting and hands-on way for them to participate in STEM programs by building their own robots – familiarising them with important skills of programming, problem-solving, decision-making, and more.
Advanced programming and artificial intelligence are now among the most important fields in science, and are closely related to robotics. Consequently, robotics courses are an excellent way to introduce children to the fundamentals of programming. Making it even better, the hands-on nature of the subject makes it more interesting for the young learners. While traditional programming is entirely theoretical, STEM robotics helps students visualise the code they write. Adding to that, the process of developing robotics requires children to analyze a problem and try to fix it as simply as possible. Consequently, they learn to become efficient problem-solvers in the real world.
Also, the production-based learning module within robotics brings the opportunity for students to build something that is tangible and performs the actions they program it for. This combines skills in creativity, engineering and technology – a combination quite rarely achieved.
Robotics is a multidisciplinary field that extends beyond mastering just electronics and programming. It mainly involves developing technology-enabled solutions for everyday problems that we face in our daily lives. Hence, many schools are introducing robotics as a part of their curriculum. In collaboration with STEMROBO Technologies Pvt. Ltd, the DPS STS School Dhaka launched the Robotics and AI Club in November 2022, to empower young minds to be able to solve daily life challenges. It offers 21st-century students an opportunity to explore, experience and bring innovation in STEAM education, Robotics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and helps students gain computational thinking skills to explore how computers learn and understand instructions.
Considering the existence of self-driven cars, voice and motion-controlled appliances, AI-generated images and the recent emergence of ChatGPT; it can be said that the world has gone really far and it is moving forward at a great speed. Hence, it is imperative for young minds to get more familiarised with the future, and robotics leads the way forward in this case.
Dr. Shivananda CS
30 March, 2023 12:00 AM