Robotics’ Lab

At MIT School we make possible that our students design, build, programme and test a real robot and use it to meet challenges set by the teacher as well as by the experts of the robotics contests in which we participate every year.

That’s why we have a LEGO MINDSTORMS Lab with the NXT Software, powered by NI LabVIEW, an intuitive graphical programming software used by scientists and engineers worldwide to design, control and test consumer products and systems such as MP3 and DVD players, cell phones, and vehicle air bag safety systems. Applications include helping to control the NASA Mars Pathfinder exploration to testing the Microsoft Xbox.

There are many academic studies showing the benefits of the Mindstorms system in schools, and we, as educational leaders in the province, must be at the forefront of progress and give our students the best opportunities. Some of these benefits are:

TEAMWORK

It is very rare that any one student has all the answers and all the knowledge to solve the challenge given by the teacher. A group of students must therefore work together on the project to achieve success. This is a vital real world skill that can be transferred into all aspects of life but is essential in the modern workplace.

REAL RESULTS

Not only do they get to see their ideas in a tangible form but they also have the elements of problem solving and clearly defined goals for them to work to and see real results.

INTEGRATION IN THE CURRICULUM

Having our own dedicated laboratory and testing space on site gives us a real advantage in being able to use this system flexibly and to really integrate it into our curriculum.

PROBLEMS SOLVING

The Mindstorms system encourages students to exercise their minds and shows them that apparently complex challenges can be broken down into smaller more manageable pieces. This in turn develops self confidence and self belief. The skills are then directly transferable to other aspects of our curriculum including but not limited to mathematics and science.