What a privilege to be a judge at the first Coffs Harbour regional First Lego League (FLL) competition this week. The buzz in the room was palpable! Such excitement and enthusiasm from all the teams. Some were experienced, some there for their first competition, but all walking away with huge smiles.
The 2018 challenge was Into Orbit and challenged students to find solutions to real-world problems in space.
Students didn’t just learn about coding, maths, science, space and robotics, they also learned about:
- co-operation
- teamwork
- problem-solving
- creative thinking
- design thinking
- perseverance
- trial and error
- dealing with disappointment
- presentation skills
In addition to FLL’s trademark coopertition:
Coopertition is displaying unqualified kindness and respect in the face of fierce competition. Coopertition is founded on the concept and a philosophy that teams can and should help and cooperate with each other even as they compete. (from https://firstaustralia.org/about-us/vision/)
the students are also marked on CORE VALUES:
- Discovery
- Innovation
- Impact
- Inclusion
- Teamwork
- Fun
As the emphasis is not just on the final challenge product, but the fun and learning along the way, students have a well-rounded experience, and all can achieve a level of success.
Google has grants for new teams from low SES, remote, rural and indigenous schools to supply a Lego EV3 Mindstorms kit and more to get involved int he competition, so consider applying for a grant for next year’s competition at https://firstaustralia.org/get-involved/grant-applications/
News coverage of the event from NBN News https://www.nbnnews.com.au/2018/11/20/coffs-qualifier-for-first-lego-league-hugely-popular-with-students/
Bev Babbage 