Robotics course for teachers
Wed, 03/30/2016 - 12:53am
As the island seeks to build the popularity of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects among students, it is believed that the technical world of robotics will help pave the way.
For the next two days, between 20 to 25 secondary school teachers will be at the Erdiston Teachers’ Training College to take part in ‘Towards Robotics in Secondary Schools’.
In her address at the opening of the workshop yesterday, Senior Tutor and Science Teacher Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw said that the course came at a time when the world was
concerned about STEM education.
Pointing out that research has shown that as students progressed from primary school to university, there was a significant fall in the numbers involved in STEM subjects, she said that this
appeared to be due to them seeing it as too difficult or unrewarding to learn such topics.
“Consequently, it is imperative that students’ attitudes to STEM-related disciplines be addressed to facilitate the production of citizens who can function effectively in society. Against this backdrop, it is vital to expose teachers in STEM disciplines to innovative, instructional approaches and cultivate an ethos based on the premise that STEM matters for 21st century learners,” she pointed out.
Principal of the College, Barbara Parris, said that teachers were engaged in helping students develop into world citizens and not only Barbadian nationals.
“They will be required to compete in the open market for their livelihood; just ask Rihanna,” she stated.
Saying that robotics could be considered an amalgam of STEM, Parris pointed out that it would require students to think critically, work in teams, be creative and strengthen their skills in maths and communication.
Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ronald Jones, claimed that the effective use of STEM would set this island apart from its competitors and stressed that robotics would help create enthusiasm for these subjects. (JMB)