Teacher describes benefits of UNL Robotics course
For the first time, UNL is bringing CSCE 890: Introduction to Robotics for Teachers to Omaha this June. Math and science teachers (Grades 7-12) at OPS can take this graduate course at no cost to them for tuition and fees, thanks to the NebraskaMATH OPS Teacher Leader Academy, funded by the Sherwood and Lozier foundations.
Math teacher Dan Schaben of Arapahoe High School took the course last year, and he is about to complete his first year of teaching a Robotics course at his school. With little to no experience in Robotics or computer programming before the course, Schaben says his students are now programming complex components and getting them to work together, with great reward.
“CSCE 890 gave me a broad spectrum of experienced with multiple Robotics platforms like Lego Mindstorm, Edisons, and block programming. It really was the perfect blend of math, electronics, engineering, and programming,” Schaben said. “We created a DC motor from scratch and learned some of the basics for computer programming. I took this information back to my district and was able to decide on a platform to start our robotics program with. We started with Arduino basic kits, and the success we had with those pushed the local school board to purchase a 3D printer, and next year there is talk that we may be upgrading to VEX systems. We are really building our robotics program from the ground up, and CSCE 890 gave me a solid foundation to get the ball rolling for our district.”
Nebraska Math and Science Summer Institutes (http://scimath.unl.edu/nmssi/2017) course CSCE 890: Robotics for Teachers (Class # 3249, permission code needed) meets June 5-9 and 12-16 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at an OPS building. It can be paired with Math 811T: Functions for High School Teachers (Class # 13774), from 8 a.m. to noon. Lunch will be provided for participants.
Apply now for an “OPS Sherwood-Lozier Fellowship for Summer 2017” here: http://go.unl.edu/scimathapply You may take up to three courses (9 credits) covered by the Sherwood-Lozier funds in Summer 2017. Please apply for the fellowship by June 1.
CSCE 890 is for middle school and secondary school teachers wishing to gain knowledge and experience in the foundations of the science of Robotics and in the programming and field testing of robots using the included software. Each day introduces a particular strategy and teaching objective taught through class presentations, robot programming demonstrations, and challenges in Robotics programming completed both in class and as homework.
Questions can be directed to nebraskamath@unl.edu. If you have not taken a course at UNL in the past year, get admitted to UNL through Teach Nebraska: http:///www.unl.edu/gradstudies/teachneb The $50 UNL Graduate Studies admission fee is waived for current Nebraska teachers. If you have taken a course recently at UNL, use MyRED to enroll.
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