Robotics will be a new addition to the National Council for Science and Technology???s (NCST) timetable when its annual Science and Technology (S&T) camp comes off this summer.
The camp, which targets boys and girls, ages six to 13, will run from Monday, July 14 to Friday, August 22.
It will once again be housed at St. Stephen???s Primary School, Free Hill, Black Rock, St. Michael, and will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily.
This year, from July 14 to 25, Technology Educator in Robotics from Louisville, Kentucky, Gregory Grazettes, will train students to design, build and programme a robot using the LEGO Mindstorm kit and other LEGO materials.
It is expected that they will gain knowledge of key science and engineering concepts from Mr. Grazettes, a Barbadian who taught at the Coleridge and Parry School for 21 years before leaving for the United States in 2003 to teach at Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky.
In addition to robotics, there will be hands-on science experiments; presentations by local scientists; introduction to careers in S&T; weekly field trips and projects.
Application forms may be collected from the National Council for Science and Technology, Reef Road, Fontabelle, St. Michael, and returned via fax to 228-5765 or emailed to mct.ncst@barbados.gov.bb.
Mr. Grazettes will also host a workshop next month for over 25 teachers.
Coordinated by the NCST, the three-day training workshop will be held from Tuesday, July 22 to Thursday, July 24 at St. Stephen???s Primary School, Free Hill, Black Rock, St. Michael, from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. daily.
Robotics in Your Classroom- Taking Teaching and Learning to the Next Level with STEM, is the name of the workshop, which will instruct teachers on how to integrate robotics into all subject areas.
According to Senior Technical Officer with the NCST, Arlene Weekes, a key aim is to highlight how robotics, as a teaching tool, can be used, especially in those areas important to national development – namely Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
???It is expected that at the end, teachers who attend will be able to bring a more problem-solving, critical-thinking and team-work approach to these areas, particularly Science and Mathematics,??? Ms. Weekes stressed.
Space for the workshop is limited, and interested teachers should register by contacting Ms. Weekes at the NCST at 427-5270, Ext. 5274, or may email arlene.weekes@barbados.gov.bb.
joy-ann.gill@barbados.gov.bb