In the early 2000s, transitions in STEM curriculum created opportunities for robotics programs to grow in K-12 settings. While robotics education used to be out of reach for many public schools due to cost and lack of teacher availability, it is now becoming more affordable through corporate sponsorships, repurposing of equipment, and increased access to resources.

Today’s students have never known a world without internet access and education that supports future career paths in technology is essential. Robotics are a considerable tool in many of today’s industries and early interaction with robotics is encouraged. Students in robotics can learn the ins and outs of in-demand skills like engineering, coding, manufacturing and more. Connecting robotics principles to overall academics gives students the opportunity to apply their knowledge in real-world applications and fosters a love for lifelong learning. Beyond technical skills, robotics teaches students critical thinking skills, teamwork, and leadership while also building their confidence.

Mason Public Schools continues to enhance their robotics program, dubbed Tractor Nation, at all ages throughout the district. To meet the growing demand, a new robotics competition space was proposed and supported through the district’s bond and sinking fund. The completed space, housed within the high school, has become a state-of-the-art area for students to learn, create, and compete. The robotics center features a new fabrication workshop, a full-size practice FIRST Robotics field, and adjoining classroom. The center also supports programs for other local schools to practice, collaborate, and learn from each other.

Mason Public Schools has successfully integrated robotics curriculum at the middle school and high school levels within their district. The middle school robotics class introduces students to VEX IQ coding and building, while the high school classes include Introduction to Robotics, Competitive Robotics, and 3D Printing classes. Introducing these concepts into the curriculum helps connect student’s academic knowledge in engineering, mathematics, and science, while also spreading awareness of robotics education.

“This is real-world application,” explained Ben Shoemaker, the Lead Mentor for Team 3655, to WILX News 10 at the facility’s ribbon cutting. “We’re teaching kids how to run equipment, we’re teaching kids how to build things…the robot is a vehicle for us to teach kids how to problem solve no matter what discipline they’re interested in doing or what their future plans are.”

Grandville Public Schools signature extracurricular robotics program consists of the Grandville Robodawgs team for high school age students and the Grandville Robotics that serves 3^rd – 8^th graders. Their programs have recently finished their first competition season in the newly constructed robotics arena, one of the largest built-for-purpose robotics competition centers in the United States. The robotics arena can host a variety of competitions with up to 2,000 spectators. The venue can be used for FIRST Robotics Competitions (FRC), VEX Robotics, Lego League and even aerial drone robotics with multiple competition fields and pits for up to 120 teams. The polished concrete floors are low maintenance and scratch resistant, the perfect surface for battle bot events. Acoustics in the space were specifically designed to dampen the sounds of robotics use with perforated acoustical roof deck and wall panels. Air flow disseminated from the ductwork controls arena temperature and does not disrupt the sensitive ariel drone competitions. The arena is also supplied with separate electric circuits that will not impact the rest of the school building during high volume electrical usage times.

The adjoining multi-purpose gymnasium space with a traditional wood floor can also be combined to host large tournament events. Adjacent woodshop spaces, mini hardware store, concessions, and multiple load-in points with large rollup doors allow for robot building and practice, 3D printing, storage, and multi-purpose use. The district can control the amount of access to the school’s non-academic spaces for after-hours use, keeping the academics wing secure while still welcoming groups for events or extracurricular activities.

“This is a game changer for all West Michigan robotics and their programs who can use this top-notch facility to build their programs,” said Roger Bearup, Grandville Public Schools Superintendent.

SCALE-UP stands for Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-Down Pedagogies. This model has been pioneered by Dr. Robert Beichner of North Carolina State University to encourage collaboration among college-aged students. The program supports project-based learning, rather than lecture style, to keep students engaged with the curriculum. The design of a SCALE-UP large group room is very specific in nature and requires exact elements to achieve the program’s goals. Fundamental elements of these classrooms can include:

• Round, fixed tables that seat multiple groups of three students each.
• Classrooms must be square or rectangular with no obstructed views so that all students can be seen equally.
• Technology at the table that connects throughout the room for equal viewing.

Beyond changing the physical environment of the classroom, SCALE-UP also challenges educators to change how they deliver the curriculum and encourages students to get more involved in their own learning.

Rockford had utilized an existing large group instruction space in their high school for many years but was looking to create a new and engaging space for students. At the start of their bond process, the Rockford team asked themselves how they could best improve learner skills for all learning and for students’ postsecondary experiences, as well as how could the district grow and spread teaching best practices among staff? These questions led to the vision of:

• Creating an integrated learning environment that provides students active learning experiences
• Emphasis would be placed on time spent with hands-on activities, inquiry-based thinking, and simulations that take students deeper into content.
• Creating an environment that is highly collaborative where small groups of students work in teams to investigate, communicate, create, and learn.

The district and members from GMB toured North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina to see first-hand how they designed their SCALE-UP classrooms to simulate a collaborative workplace environment. The team also met with Dr. Beichner personally to walk through the instruction model and started discussing how to adapt the elements to fit into a high school program.

In their new tech-rich Creative Teaching and Learning Center, Rockford’s students work together in smaller groups at pods spaced throughout the room, while the instructor displays their work on the screens, controlled from a central station. The room is outfitted with groups of tables that double as whiteboards. Students can cast their work onto any screen for display and discussion using their own devices while the teacher walks among them, facilitating their interactions.

“We have built a one-of-a-kind teaching and learning center that will have the opportunity to provide students with a learning experience they will take into their adult lives,” said Dr. Michael Shibler, Rockford Public Schools retired superintendent.

Rockford recognized that traditional classroom instruction would need to be adapted to fit this new learning model, but also that logistics like teacher contract language, training, and curriculum would need to be addressed. For example, students can receive multiple credits for taking a combined Communications and Algebra II class, which aims to develop students’ presentation and debate skills alongside mathematics.

“There’s not one linear path that any district would have to take for this to work,” said Mike Ramm, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction at Rockford. “But when we started, getting a group of teachers to believe in the new instructional experience and trained in that, was the singular focus for us. Giving them time to fully understand that teaching from a problem-focused concept was different, and then giving teachers space and support to build that instruction ahead of time so they felt comfortable.”

In SCALE-UP, teachers become facilitators of the information and instead of lecturing, the goal is to move around the classroom and present the curriculum to students in ways that allows them to process information and use it, rather than memorize. Teachers were also given training on the Harkness Method, which involves students discussing ideas in an encouraging, open-minded environment with only occasional or minimal teacher intervention.

“The greatest impact of the CTLC is going to be really making the students the center of the curriculum,” said Steve Story, a high school English teacher with Rockford. “What I am most excited about with the CTLC is handing the curriculum over to the students more-so than we normally do, just giving them the opportunity to spread their wings and fly and take direction and leadership of the classroom.”

Beyond the content of the classes, using the CTLC aims to also teach students positive behaviors using the seven norms of collaboration. These norms help students in the classroom but also as they prepare to go on to postsecondary education or interviews where they will work with many different groups of people. A unique blend of professional skills and critical thinking skills, along with academic knowledge, will give Rockford’s CTLC students the tools they need to succeed.

FHN took a bold step to offer their students a new way of learning through a project-based program called Project NEXT in 2018. Project NEXT is a 4-year parallel path program of study that was driven by the school and teachers’ visions to provide students with hands-on and collaborative ways of learning. Educators participated in project-based learning training through the Buck Institute for Education to gain the knowledge and skills needed to support the curriculum. The program originally began as a pilot initiative in the media center with just a handful of students. At the time, a modest investment was made in the pilot program by designing and refreshing the school’s media center with new, flexible furniture more conducive to next-generation, collaborative learning.

As the program has grown in popularity and success, it was clear this type of learning required more dedicated space to continue. Redesigning the school’s west wing to accommodate those musts started with converting a courtyard into a central learning commons, known as the Design Center, which acts as the hub of the program. Project NEXT now supports over 90 students in the high school and continues to grow as students express interest in this new way of teaching and learning. 

“This project was really unique because the architecture complemented the already established program and better supported the curriculum,” said GMB Project Lead, Chris Arntzen, about the project. “We were able to work with the district and teachers to create really intentional spaces based on the class work they had already practiced.”

The goal of Project NEXT is to prepare students for life through soft skills like communication, teamwork, public speaking, and independent thought. The specially designed spaces are intended to be multipurpose, flexible, and connected to achieve the program’s vision. Students in the program must identify and propose solutions to real-world problems, so spaces that fuel collaboration and creativity were essential. The Design Center includes a dedicated presentation area, an extension of a classroom set up for technology/computer lab overflow, and a mimicked coffee shop area. Next to the commons, each grade level has its own classroom pod of four classrooms and a breakout space. The pods can be interconnected for collaboration and co-teaching as needed.

“Students engaged in their learning tend to enjoy school more, retain their learning for a longer period, and build the necessary skills to succeed after high school,” said former Forest Hills North High School principal, Jon Gregory. “The new space allows for this type of learning to occur in a variety of ways due to the flexibility of the space and furniture. Students have commented on how easy it is for them to collaborate and engage with each other in their learning.”