An Róbó Seó: the first ever Lego robotics workshop in the Irish Language takes place at DCU
Robots designed and built by 320 primary school students were launched today (Thursday 13th June) at An Róbó Seó (The Robot Show) in Dublin City University.
Students and teachers from six Gaelscoileanna spent the last nine months preparing projects for the event which demonstrates how astronauts can tackle various problems on the moon, such as how to find water, store food and create energy using robotic computational materials.
The event was funded through the Schools Digital Excellence Fund. It is the largest FIRST LEGO League Jr. event to be held throughout Ireland and the UK as well as the largest STEM-based event to take place in Ireland primarily through Gaeilge.
The Schools Digital Excellence Fund has provided funding to Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada, Gaelscoil Naomh Pádraig, Gaelscoil na Camóige, Gaelscoil Uí Fhiaich, Scoil Uí Dhálaigh and Scoil Uí Riada to form a cluster group for a 3 year project supported by DCU’s Institute of Education, the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) and industry partner, LearnIt.
The children and teachers in these Gaelscoileanna use a range of LEGO Education robotic materials, to develop computational thinking and 21st Century problem-solving skills in an inquiry-based interdisciplinary learning environment, as Gaeilge.
Through engagement with cyclical, scaffolded learning activities children in the cluster schools are engaged in computational thinking skills in a collaborative, constructionist learning environment. The inquiry based nature of this project fosters a natural curiosity among the children and encourages them to solve problems and find solutions independently.
Dr Anne Looney, Executive Dean of the Institute of Education said:
“DCU Institute of Education is delighted to host this event and to be associated with the FIRST LEGO Leagues Junior.
Working with our unique Lego Education Innovation Studio gives our student teachers a chance to work on practical robotic challenges, and to develop skills they can take with them into their future classrooms and a problem-solving mindset that can inspire the next generation of STEM learners.”
Professor Deirdre Butler, DCU LEGO Education Innovation Studio said:
“The opportunity to be centrally involved in this initiative contributes to our goal of creating an interactive learning hub that will help DCU student teachers and all Irish schools develop innovative and creative approaches to designing learning environments which ignite a passion for learning STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) concepts and skills from early childhood education right through to third level.
By adopting Lego®’s playful learning tools, with a ‘Hands-on Minds-on’ mindset, in a supportive learning environment, all students can develop key competencies such as creative thinking, problem-solving, team-working and communication.”
Frank Ó Tormaigh, Cluster Lead, added:
“This project has really demonstrated to the participating teachers how valuable and rewarding it is to use LEGO Education WeDo 2.0 in their teaching.
The thematic approach is so versatile and flexible enabling development across a range of curriculum areas.
The feedback from children and teachers has been wonderful and we are very excited about year 2 of the project already.”
Ross Maguire, Managing Director of Learn it said:
“The FIRST LEGO League Junior is so much more than a robotics initiative. It is a platform for students to discover the world of STEM and to collaborate on real-world problems.
These young people are taking the first steps to become tomorrow’s innovators, creators and problem solvers.”
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An Róbó Seó: an chéad ceardlann róbó le Lego as Ghaeilge seolta inniu i DCU.
Bhí róbóanna cruthaithe agus tógtha ag 320 daltaí bunscoile ar taispeántas inniu (Déardaoin 13 Meitheamh) ag an Róbó Seó i gColáiste na hOllscoile Baile Átha Cliath.
Le naoi mhí anuas tá daltaí agus múinteoirí ó sé Ghaelscoil ag ullmhú tionscnaimh don ócáid a thaispeánann conas go féidir la spásairí deighleáil le fadhbanna áirithe ar an ngealach, cosúil le uisce a aimsiú, bia a chur i stórais agus conas fuinneamh a chruthú ag úsaid ríomhábhair.
Thug an Ciste Barr Feabhais Dhigiteach maoiniú chun an ócáid a chuir ar siúl.
Seo é an ócaid FIRST LEGO League Jr. is mó a bhí ann riamh in Éirinn nó sa Bhreatain Mór agus seo an chéad ócáid STEM in Éirinn atá go hiomlan trí Ghaeilge.
Tá an Coiste Barr Feabhais Dhigiteach tar éis maoiniú a dhéanamh ar Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada, Gaelscoil Naomh Pádraig, Gaelscoil na Camóige, Gaelscoil Uí Fhiaich, Scoil Uí Dhálaigh agus Scoil Uí Riada chun cnuasach a bhunú do tionscnamh 3 bhliana le tacaíocht ón Ionad Oideachais i DCU, an tSeirbhís um Fhorbairt Ghairmiúil do Mhúinteoirí (PDST) agus ár bpáirtí tionscail, LearnIt.
Tá na páistí agus múinteoirí insna Gaelscoileanna seo ag baint úsáid as reimse ábhair oideachais róbó Lego chun scileanna smaoineamh ríomhchlárú a fhorbairt agus fadhbanna 21ú aois a réitiú i timpeallacht fiosrach idiraraíonach trí mhean na Gaeilge.
Tríd páirt a ghlacadh i ngníomhaí atá timthriallach scafláilithe tá na páistí insna scoileanna chnuasach ag dul i mbannaí i scileanna ríomhchlárú i timpeallacht foghlama atá chomhoibreach agus tógálach. Cruthaíonn an nádúr fiosrach den tionscnamh seo fiosrúcháin nádúrtha i measc na bpáistí agus spreagann sé iad chun fadhbanna a réitiú agus freagraí a aimsiú go néamhspléach.
Dúirt Dr Anne Looney, an Déan Feidhmeannach ag an Institiúd Oideachais:
“Tá áthas ar an Institiúd Oideachais i DCU chun an ócáid seo a chur ar siúl agus chun a bheith bainteach leis an FIRST LEGO Leagues Junior. Tríd a bheith ag obair lenár stiúdió Lego sainiúlach faigheann ár mic léinn deis oibriú ar dúshlán róbó praicitciúla, chun scileanna a fhorbairt go féidir leo tógaint leo go dtí na seomraí ranga insan todchaí.”
Dúirt Professor Deirdre Butler, DCU LEGO Education Innovation Studio:
“Tríd a bheith páirteach insan tionscnamh seo tá deis iontach dúinn ionad foghlama idirghníómhach a chruthú a chabhróidh leis na mic léinn i DCU agus le gach scoil in Éirinn timpeallachatí foghlama cruthaitheach a lasann paisean i bpáistí maidir le coincheapanna agus scileanna STEM ón mbunoideachas díreach suas go dtí an triú leibhéal. Tríd na huirlisí spraoiúil Lego a úsáid, le meon ‘Hands-on Minds-on’, i suíomh foghlama tacúil, is féidir le gach dalta forbairt a dhéanamh ar scileanna tábhachtacha cosúil le fadhb réiteach, cruthaíocht, comhoibriú agus cumarsáid. ”
Dúirt Frank Ó Tormaigh, Príomh - Oide an Cnuasach:
“Thaispeán an tionscnamh seo go dtí na múinteoirí a bhí páirteach cé chomh luachmhar agus saotharach is atá Lego WeDO 2.0 maidir lena chuid múineadh. Tá an cur chuige téamúil ana ildánach agus solúbtha thar réimse leathan den curaclam.
Tá aiscothú iontach faighte againn ó páistí agus múinteoirí agus táimid ag tnúth go mór leis an dara bhlian den tionscnamh cheanna féin.”
Dúirt Ross Maguire, Bainisteoir Learn it:
“Tá i bhfad níos i gceist leis an FIRST LEGO League Junior ná tionscanaimh róbó. Is ardán é do daltaí chun an domhan STEM a aimsiú agus chun comhoibriú ar fadhbanna bunaithe ar an lá ata inniu ann.
Tá na chéad céimeanna á thógaint ag na daoine seo chun a bheith mar na nuálaithe, cruthaitheoirí agus fadhb réiteoirí don todhchaí.