ROBOTICS: The Class of the Future
Photo Credit: Leslie Saravia, Staff Photographer
Freshman Mike Vargas, working on one of his BIG inventions.
Kyle Swenson, Staff Writer
April 3, 2012
Filed under Academics, Student Life, Top Stories
CCA is proud to announce the opportunity for students to get involved with Robotics, a brand new class that combines scientific skills with modern technology. Robotics is led by one of CCA’s brilliant new high school science teachers, Mr. Don Chambers.
Mr. Chambers, who has had a long history with electronics and programmable chips, spent a few years researching robotics in education, while teaching at the American School in Japan. His interest for robotics as a teaching tool was the catalyst for a three-day VEX robotics seminar held in Tokyo in the spring of 2008. In his opinion, Robotics is “what schools need…they are good for any country whose students are involved.”
While discussing the purpose and tactics of robotics, Mr. Chambers expressed “Robotics is a big movement in education. This class is largely hands on; we build robots which includes the mechanics and electronics—very similar to a mechatronics class. It’s something that I think is very popular, we cover theory and go through the scientific principals. Students learn to act with science rather than just learn about it.”
Mr. Chamber’s goal for CCA Robotics is to get involved with the International Robotics Committee through VECS Robotics and The Marine Advanced Technology and Education (M.A.T.E.) program—an underwater robotics competition where American schools, as well as international schools from countries including Canada, Scotland, and Japan, come together and attempt to build the best underwater robot they possibly can. The CCA robotics class will be participating in an event like this on April 21.
Students are thrilled about the interactivity this new class provides. Robotics student Isaiah Zamora said, “It’s a very fun class. I love building and creating the robots, it makes learning fun!”
For students who are interested in a new taste of knowledge and desire to put their scientific skills to practical use, robotics is a perfect class to enhance these talents and satisfy the thirst for knowledge.