Experiential Learning Week: Lego robot races

Off to the races!
T. Lucas photos and video

Toni Lucas

Matthew Halton High School in Pincher Creek has embarked on a second Experiential Learning Week, after the success of the last one held in October of last year. "I believe that students really came away with a genuine learning experience that they valued,' said Principal Sandra McDuffe.  "Approaching this week you still wonder 'Is it going to go off okay, is it going to be as good as last time?'  I think it is. It's feeling the same way as it did before."

This time around the Experiential Learning Week Program offered 19 courses of studies for the students to choose from. All Matthew Halton students are enrolled in an experiential class in the week-long curriculum and according to John Taylor, who helped design the program, all the students got into their first choice.

There are some courses that can only take certain age levels, but most of the studies are open to students from all grades, learning at the same time.

Robotics

Students that enrolled in robotics got to have the use of a school hallway on Wednesday afternoon to conduct races as part of their course.  The supplies for this course, Lego robotic kits, were borrowed from F.P. Walshe School in Fort Macleod.

"When I got the material for this class, I found out that this class is all about failure. You learn from your failures," said Teacher Kevin Sheen. Even though it was his first time teaching robotics he said it was an easy course to teach. "It's very self directed."

 "Until they fail, they don't learn, because they will think it will work, but until they see failure, they don't know how to correct it. That's was the big thing that I really liked about this course. It was trial and error, try it and see. They really seemed to enjoy it."

"This is about the fourth activity that these guys have done," explained Sheen. The students had to make their Lego robots travel in four squares, and go in a circle while staying on a table top. "Now the fun stuff, we are going to race," said  Sheen.

Braeden and his robot creation

Student Braeden agreed with Sheen's assessment of the course. "It's a lot of trial and error, it did good, it didn't fall off at all," he said, referring to the trial where his robot had to navigate four squares on a table top. "I learned that programming is really difficult to do, and it's a lot of trial and error."

Related stories:
Experiential Learning Week: Cosmetology
Experiential Learning Week: Pre-employment training

Experiential Learning Week: Welding and fabrication

Stories from last year's Experiential Learning Week:

Halton School Experiential week: Boxcar Mechanics

Halton School Experiential Week: Construction project

Experiential Week wrap up
Experiential week volunteer supper held at Matthew Halton School

More Experiential Learning Week stories to come.