College of Science, Engineering & Technology

Unisa robotics team takes coding to the community

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The Unisa Science Engagement Centre (USEC) was invited by the Moutse East Education Circuit Office in consultation with Ntwane Community Development Forum (NCDF) to visit the Moutse East Education Circuit schools in Dennilton, Limpopo. The mission was to present three days of coding and robotics workshops from 23 to 25 April 2024.

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The USEC team introduced learners and educators to the wonderful world of robotics and coding

Andzani Sibiya and Tumelo Nhlapo from USEC ran coding and robotics workshops over the course of three days. On day one, the team visited Seetseng Primary School and the focus was to introduce the basic concepts of robotics to the Grades 6 and 7 learners and the educators who visited the school from in and around the circuit.

The workshop was practical, and the learners and educators had the opportunity to build, test and program an autonomous robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 robots to solve a set of missions in the FIRST Lego League MasterPiece Challenge Robot Game. The other part of the workshop allowed them to learn how to add powered attachments to their robots, such as grippers to hold and lift objects to do missions on the robotics challenge.

On day two, the USEC team visited Moroathebe Primary School and hosted Grades 6 and 7 learners. The educators from day one volunteered as facilitators and assisted the USEC team to run the workshop. This made the workshop fun and proactive, as the educators had experience from day one.

On day three, the team visited OR Tambo Comprehensive School and it was a pleasure to have the same teachers gracing them with their presence again. It was heartbreaking to see the learners so eager that they did not want the USEC team to leave the school. One of the learners kept following Sibiya, telling her about what she wants to be when she finishes school, just to buy time from the team to not leave the school. Sibiya ended up giving her a Unisa-branded ruler, and assured her that she will soon be back to visit the school again.

It was evident that the learners enjoyed the workshop and wanted more, but one day was all there was and the USEC team hopes to be back soon so that they can reach more learners and spend three days with each school.

Unisa’s Phora Mafeno extended his gratitude to the USEC team as follows: "This is a word of thanks from me and my villagers, to the USEC team for your successful week-long visit to Moutse East Education Circuit, to teach and showcase robotics to learners and their teachers at the three schools you visited. The community is so over-awed by your work and demonstration of robotics that they lack the proper words to express themselves. I want to believe that I am speaking on behalf of the Education Circuit office as well as the Ntwane Community Development Forum to convey sincere gratitude to you all at USEC for your visit and the work you did in the schools."

* By Andzani Sibiya, Science Communication Administrator, Unisa Science Engagement Centre

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Publish date: 2024-05-14 00:00:00.0

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