Laporan LEGO Engineering Conference Singapore 2008

Pada 10hb. Mac 2008 saya telah bertolak ke Singapura untuk menyertai LEGO Engineering Conference yang telah diadakan di Singapore Science Centre. Malaysia telah menghantar 3 orang peserta untuk mengikuti Conference ini. Saya tiba di Singapura pada pukul 2.00pm dengan menaiki kapal terbang yang sampai ke Changi Airport secara terus. Saya telah bertemu dengan 2 orang peserta yang lain di tempat penginapan iaitu YMCA International House di Orchard Road.

LEGO Engineering Conference ini dianjurkan bersama oleh Singapore Science Centre, National University of Singapore, Tufts University Center for Engineering Educational Outreach dan LEGO. LEGO Engineering Conference ini telah dihadiri oleh oleh peserta-peserta dari Malaysia, Singapura, Philipina, Denmark dan Jepun. LEGO Engineering Conference bertujuan memahirkan peserta tentang penggunaan LEGO MINDSTORMS dan robotik kit dalam penggajaran sains dan matematik. Selain daripada itu peserta juga dapat belajar menjadikan robotik kit alat untuk mengajar kreativiti dan inovasi dan seterusnya menghasilkan product di pasaran yang akan meningkatkan kualiti hidup kita.

Pada 11hb.Mac 2008, Conference dimulakan pada 9.00am dengan ucapan alu-aluan daripada Prof. Marcelo Hang dari National University of Singapore. Seramai 50 peserta telah menyertai Conference pada kali ini. Majlis diteruskan dengan ucapan utama yang disampaikan oleh Prof. Chris Rogers dari Tufts University, Medford, USA. Semua peserta berhenti selama 30 minit untuk mengambil sarapan pagi. Majlis disambung dengan pembentangan kertas kerja. Sebanyak 5 kertas kerja telah dibentangkan pada simposium kali ini. Saya telah diberi penghormatan untuk membentangkan satu kertas kerja yang bertajuk “ Application of LEGO Robotic Kit in Senior High School Physics”. Melalui simposium ini, saya telah mendapat satu gambaran yang jelas apa yang berlaku di negara maju seperti Singapore dalam perlaksanaan sistem pengajaran dan pembelajaran dengan bantuan LEGO Robotic Kit. Saya juga mendapat gambaran bagaimana LEGO Robotic Kit boleh digunakan untuk mengajar mata pelajaran engineering. Peserta-peserta dihidangkan dengan makan tengahari yang lazat selapas simposium tersebut. Sesi di sebelah petang diambil-alih oleh Prof. Chris Rogers yang merupakan pereka software MINDSOTRM dan ROBOLAB. Prof. Chris Rogers telah mengajar peserta-peserta bagaimana menggunakan Robolab Investigator untuk menjalankan aktiviti pengumpulan data dan data analisis. Ini adalah teknik yang amat berguna sekali terutamanya bagi guru-guru. Dengan teknik ini, Robot boleh membantu dalam menjalankan eksperimen dalam kelas dan boleh membantu pengumpulan data kerja lapangan seperti dalam mata pelajaran geografi, biologi dan banyak bidang lain.

Pada 12hb. Mac 2008, kami telah berkesempatan untuk melawat ke Rulang Primary School, Jurong East, Singapore yang mempunyai pengalaman luas dalam menggunakan Robot untuk P&P. Kami telah dibawa untuk melawat ke sekeliling sekolah dan terutama sekali bilik robotik sekolah tersebut yang luas dan serba lengkap. Sekolah tersebut mempunyai 48 set robot NXT disamping robot-robot lain. Visi sekolah tersebut ialah, pelajar-pelajar mesti menguasai kemahiran memprogramkan robot semasa mereka melangkah keluar dari sekolah tersebut. Sekolah ini mempunyai satu program yang lengkap menggunakan robot dalam setiap mata pelajaran untuk menarik minat pelajar terhadap pelajaran. Contohnya, Bahasa Melayu, Bahasa Inggeris dan Geografi yang agak membosankan. Sekolah ini juga mempunyai pencapaian yang sangat baik di peringkat antarabangsa dalam bidang robotik. Selain daripada itu, kami juga berkesempatan untuk menyaksikan ROBOFEST yang sedang diadakan di sekolah tersebut. Saya telah bertolak balik ke Kota Kinabalu melalui Changi Airport pada pukul 2.15pm.

Saya ingin merakamkan setinggi-tinggi terima kasih kepada Pusat Perkembangan Kurikulum, Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia dan Sasbadi Sdn. Bhd. kerana memilih dan membiayai lawatan saya kali ini. Saya juga berterima kasih kepada pihak sekolah kerana memberikan peluang kepada saya untuk melawat ke negara lain untuk melihat pekembangan Robotik.

Working Papaer on Robotic Research Centre

Robotics Adventure Centre

Introduction

Sabah Sains Secondary School is going global. The school is heading its way to become one of the well known school in the country as well as internationally according to the Principal Tn. Haji Zaini bin Zair. The mission of the school is ‘SMESH as the centre of excellent for world class education’. In order to achieve the mission, one of the niche area which have been chosen to represent the school is robotics. This is because robotics has become an increasing important subject of study in the world of science and technology today. The school already possesses some of the basic requirements to become excellent in robotics. To mention a few, the school has 14 set of LEGO NXT 9797 Robotics Kit with accessories, the school has represented Malaysia three times in the international robotics competition and the school also has enough trainer for Robotics including student trainers. The time has come for the school to have a proper Robotics Adventure Centre in order to excel in the field of Robotics for the years to come. Early exposure of Robotics subject to the students is important. There is an added advantage to the student if they are exposed to the Robotics Education at their younger age parallel with the ICT subject in the school.

Robotics Adventure Centre

Sabah Science Secondary School (SMESH) is in drastic need for a Robotics Adventure Centre for the students. This is because of the increasing number of students interested in Robotics.


In order to achieve the mission of the school, the Robotic In School Programme has been launched.



The tactical plan for the Robotic In School Program consists of two important strategies:
Robotic in Education Program
Robotic Club
Robotic in Education Program selects the Form 1 (12 years old) and Form 2 (13 years old) students as the target to start robotic education. SMESH needs a room that can accommodate 30 students. Without a proper centre, the implementation of Robotics Syllabus faced a big problem.
SMESH also needs a place to conduct Robotic Club activities. Students can start and continue their project at a fixed place without disturbance.


Advantage of Robotics Adventure Centre

SMESH as the centre of Excellence in robotics study. Most of the students in Sabah are not expose to the subject of Robotics. SMESH can expand the knowledge and skill of Robotics to school in the surrounding area and all over Sabah state. The school has enough resources to conduct training for teachers and students in Sabah. Our students also will play a very important role as trainer and facilitator in the Robotics Education.

Centre of Innovation and Creativity. Students can turn their idea to become reality with robotics prototyping. Robotics Adventure Centre provides a place for them to realise and display their idea.

Robotics Club. Robotics Adventure Centre can become the location to house the Robotics Club. Member of the club can start projects of their own in robotic club throughout the year. Robotics Adventure Centre provides a good place for that.

All students expose to the knowledge and skill of Robotics. Robotics Adventure Centre becomes a Laboratory for all the student to improve programming skill and creativity. All students should be able to do basic programming to instruct Robot to execute a simple task when they graduated from the school.

The suggested layout for Robotics Adventure Centre as in the above diagram has a capacity of 30 students including hardware such as computers and Lego Education Kit. This room is designed in such a way to enable effective Robotics Lesson to be conducted. The Robotics Adventure Centre also provides an ample space for the students to learn and explore robotics through Discovery Learning. Students are require to follow a systematic syllabus in Basic Robotics first before they can explore on their own into various field of robotics. Project Based Learning can be conducted in the centre because a proper place is provided for the students to put their projects. They can improve their project from time to time. The Robotics Adventure Centre also provides a proper place for the students to display their work and demonstrate their idea. Robotics Adventure Centre also big enough to become training centre for school who is interested in Robotics but do not have the basic necessity. Robotics programming language can be taught completely in the centre.

Facilities

Build in Cabinet- Students use the cabinet as table to place their labtop computer and Lego bricks. It also served as a cabinet to store all Lego Robotics Kit after use.

LCD projector and computer- Trainer can teach Robotics programming and design easily. The white board serves as the screen for the LCD projector.

Socket – The centre needs a minimum of 15 sockets to power the computer and charge the rechargeable battery of Robot.

Playing Field Table- Mainly used for the purpose of Robotics Competition. Students need a proper place to try out their robot to meet the challenge in the competition.

Glass Display Cabinet- Teacher can display the idea and work of students in the cabinet for public viewing.

Soft board – to display students’ projects and latest information about robotic.
Sliding door – Save space and security purpose