WORKSHOPS- Extracurricular robotics and programming (2nd Ed.)

• Participating entity: Laboratory of Social and Digital Innovation (LISD) of the UVic-UCC; Association of Neighbors of Remei (AVV); Aprentik robotics company. Remei Neighborhood Shared Extracurricular Project, framed within the Vic Environment Educational Plan.

• Description: The second edition of the project represented a step forward in the evolution of the activity, with significant changes aimed at improving access and the quality of the educational experience. The activity was moved to the neighborhood space of Pont del Remei, a strategic location that allowed the participation of students from different schools in the neighborhood, favoring community cohesion.

During this edition, 5 laptops were purchased to complement the 4 existing LEGO kits, thus improving the tools available to the students. In addition to the 16 regular sessions, a visit to the University of Vic was organized to see the facilities, all the projects and robots that had been created by the university students of the Mechatronics degree, a special activity that allowed students to see first hand how robotics works in a university environment.

The activities focused on more advanced projects, favoring project-based learning with more complex challenges that required greater involvement and creativity on the part of the participants. The combination of technology, hands-on learning and group dynamics consolidated the success of the extracurricular program.

• Course: 2023-2024 (16 sessions from October to June, held on Fridays).

• Participants: 9 students from different schools (La Noria; Dr. Joaquim Salarich; Vic Centro; Sentfores; Dominicas Vic- Santa Caterina de Siena).

• Objectives:

1. Consolidate and expand the technical knowledge acquired: Introduce more advanced projects adapted to the growing level of the students.
2. Promote interest in STEM disciplines: Inspire participants through activities that connect with practical applications, such as the visit to UVic, awakening technological and scientific vocations.
3. Improve accessibility and inclusion: With the use of the Pont neighborhood space, facilitate access to students from different schools and increase neighborhood participation, promoting equal opportunities.
4. Integrate the educational community in a shared learning project: Establish synergies between schools, AVV and families.

• Reflections: The robotics extracurricular 2024 has proved to be a very valuable activity, with a very positive assessment by all the agents involved. The benefits for the students are clear, both in terms of technical knowledge and in terms of social and teamwork skills. This year, the transfer of the Sínia school activity to the Pont del Remei neighborhood space has meant a significant change. The new location, closer to the neighborhood and the other schools, has facilitated access and participation of students, favoring greater integration with the local community. This has consolidated the Pont as a place of reference for educational activities in the neighborhood.

Students who have participated in the robotics extracurricular this year have expressed their opinions and evaluations of the activity, reflecting the positive impact it has had on their educational experience. Below are some of the comments collected:

• Participant, 9 years old “It has been a lot of fun to be able to build and program the robots. I’ve really enjoyed working with my classmates from other schools, I’ve made new friends and we’ve learned a lot.”

• Participant, 10 years old “I had already participated last year and this year I liked it even more because we were able to carry out more complicated projects. The visit to UVic was amazing, I was able to see how the mechatronics students work and it has motivated me to continue learning more about robotics.”

• Participant, 10 years old “Robotics is one of my favorite activities. We have learned how to solve problems and work as a team. I would like to continue next year because there are always new things to discover.”

• Participant, 8 years old “It has been very exciting to build the robots and see how they move thanks to the programs we make. I felt like an inventor.

• Participant, 11 years old “This activity has helped me understand math and science better. Working with the robots has been very interesting and the college visit has taught me a lot about what I can do in the future.”

• Participant, 11 years old “I didn’t know much about robotics before, but now I love it. The teacher has been very nice and always helped us when we needed it. I hope next year there will be more sessions.”