By Zeena Ojjeh
Doha: Edutain Plus, in collaboration with Edutech and under the sponsorship of Astad Project Management, hosted the first robotic summer camp of its kind here.
The Summer of Learning camp ran from August 21 to August 25, from 9am to 2pm and had 20 participants. Children from ages 8 to 13 spent the week learning the basics of robotics, programming a robot, gear tracks and making different gears work.
Shaddad, a 13-year-old Qatari participant of the camp, who aspires to be an engineer, said he found the program very interesting. The most important thing he learnt was simple projects programming for robots. He explained that simple project programming is when the robot has only a brain and walks right and left. The programming is said to be complex when the robot can hold objects and lift them.
The students were taught by two instructors from Edutech and a trainer employed by Edutain Plus. The instructors emphasised hands-on instruction and motivation. At the beginning of the week, the students were put into teams, which then decided on daily tasks and the instructors would work with the group as a whole and with students individually to complete various tasks.
“The most remarkable thing is that kids learnt the spirit of team work and leadership. They learnt group dynamics like it is in the real world, in addition to engineering. The kids loved the competition, and always wanted to know which group was the best,” said Munazza Sayed, a Texas A&M graduate, trainer for Edutain Plus.
“It really is a wholesome programme and it’s important for these kids to be taught about robotics, because this is the new generation, it’s all about programming. By teaching them the basics, we are preparing them for a whole new level and new technology,” said another Edutech instructor, Mohammed Houhou.
The Peninsula
