Year 10 IST

This term, our Year 10 Information Software Technology students have started an exciting new unit on Robotics & Automated Systems. Over the past few weeks, students have been working individually on their assessment task, which involved designing and planning a robot using Lego Mindstorms.

The Design Situation for this task presents a unique challenge: students must create a robot capable of autonomously navigating a specialised track. The track is constructed using modular tiles, which can be rearranged to offer a new layout every lesson. These tiles feature black lines and green squares that present obstacles for the robot to navigate. At the end of the track, students must program their robots to detect and move an object off the track. The objective is to design a robot that balances speed, accuracy and manoeuvrability through this ever-changing terrain.

In their portfolios, students documented the early stages of the design process, focusing on three key areas: Statement of Intent, Research and Idea Generation/Testing. They outlined their goals, researched Lego Mindstorms components and coding techniques and brainstormed strategies for building and programming their robots.

This week, students submitted their individual assessment tasks and formed groups of 3-4 to collaborate on the next phase. Each student pitched their design idea, and as a team, they decided on one design to move forward with. The classroom has been buzzing with activity as students began constructing their robots and even started programming and testing them on a mini track.

We are excited to see the innovative solutions our Year 10 students will bring to this challenge in the coming weeks!

Miss Shanai Mifsud

TAS & VET Information and Digital Technology Teacher