Underwater STEAM dream on the world stage

By Heather Barker Vermeer Industry Reporter

Hobsonville School student, Jamie Young was feeling “really confi dent” aft er competing in this year’s international aquabots competition but admits even he was surprised by the result.

“I thought we would get around the top ten,” says the Year 8 student, one of four members of the Aqua Alphas who ended up placing third worldwide in one of the most challenging parts of the American-based competition: “I couldn’t believe it at all!”

Nor could his teammates, Aarav Sharma, Caleb Purcell and Alex Hipperson who all sacrifi ced countless hours – during and aft er school and even some of their weekends and school holidays – practising to make sure they were well prepared for the International SeaPerch Competition, which was held online this year due to COVID restrictions.

Rewind four years and none of the boys or their teachers had even heard of aquabots – a Ministry of Inspiration underwater robotics programme where students have to build a bot that they can remotely navigate through obstacles at the bott om of a pool. Hobsonville Deputy Principal Brad Hill says the school didn’t hesitate when Principal Anne Leitch was contacted by the father of a student at a nearby school in 2018 to see if they were interested in participating in an Auckland challenge. “We said, 'that sounds fantastic'. We are always trying to develop technology and digital technology and aquabots fell into that quite perfectly. It all started from there.”

The school teamed up with Whenuapai Airbase where the students received mentoring from the avionics squadron as they designed and built their own bots. That inaugural team (which Aarav, Caleb, Alex and Jamie weren't part of) did well, winning the 2018 nationals before heading to America for the SeaPerch Champs in 2019 held at Maryland University in Washington. Last year, the boys' team - the Aqua Alphas - were quick to pick up the mantle at the 2020 nationals in Masterton with Aarav leading them to victory. Now at high school, Aarav says he started aquabots in Year 7 aft er being selected from about 30 other classmates who had also wanted to be involved.

“I thought it was prett y cool to make a vehicle that could go underwater and then compete using it,” he recalls. Caleb was also selected for a team in 2019 aft er his teacher put his name forward but admits he knew very litt le about what aquabots was about. His fi rst year wasn’t the most successful and the team didn't go any further, then he and Aarav formed a new team with classmates Alex and Jamie that would go on to be a winner. Armed with just $20, the maximum amount they were allowed to spend based on the rules of the competition, they bought supplies to modify a prototype Aarav had created and their dream bot was born.

“It was a prototype, then we made it our actual bot and then we started doing tests, like who was our best driver,” says Caleb. Alex, who was already interested in robotics, jumped at the chance to join the team saying he loved the challenge of designing the bot. “I liked the process of making the aquabot and practising. I didn’t mind about the competition so much, I just liked the process and practice.” There were hurdles along the way, propellers fell off and motor problems turned out to be an issue with a tether cable. But, the boys persevered and practised at every opportunity they could. On competition day, the team came face to face with more than 20 other teams from around the country, each having to compete in a series of challenges, including an obstacle course. P28

The smarter, electronic way to run key-based access control

eCliq is a wireless access control system which enables schools to regain and maintain control of their locking system.

For those who need to monitor and control access to their facilities, the reality of navigating streams of different people at any given time and ensuring that those who are authorised to have access to premises can easily do so, and those who don’t are prevented from entering, can be a huge challenge. It may be surprising that one of the most sophisticated, up-todate access and security devices looks, at first glance, like one of the oldest. Based on the traditional lock and key, eCLIQ retrofits seamlessly into existing locking systems; cylinders are made to the same dimensions, and all electronics are selfcontained, powered by a battery within the key.

Without the need for wiring, eCLIQ electronic keys offer features like programmable access rights, time scheduling, audit trails and blocking of lost keys. Simply put, if one of these

Key to Success

More durable, more secure and more efficient than conventional locking systems

nzeducation@assaabloy.com Assaabloy.co.nz/ecliq

is mislaid or taken away (either inadvertently or intentionally) the facility manager isn’t landed with the onerous task of rekeying the entire facility. See who opened what door and when, easily change a person’s access rights by sending information to their key and control the time periods when keys are operational.

Installation is simple and straightforward, both for new school construction or retrofitting to existing doors at established schools. • Lost keys – Block or eliminate any lost or stolen keys to maintain the integrity of your system without having to replace the locks • No wiring – Gain the functionality of access control without the hassle and expense • Audit trails – See who opened what door and when • Change access – Easily change a person’s access rights by sending information to their key • Schedule access – Control the time periods when keys are operational

The judges unanimously awarded fi rst place overall to the Aqua Alphas, along with a special sportsmanship acknowledgement aft er they helped another team out. Fellow Kiwi competitors, Team Tahi from Rotorua, also managed to place, coming fourth in the high school division of the international challenge. “We were all very excited because we knew we’d go to America,” says Caleb. “We were so excited that we jumped into the pool.” Unfortunately, Covid had other plans and the trip was replaced with a virtual version.

Despite being disappointed, the boys refocused and put all their eff ort into preparing for global competition. They further developed the design concept of their metal ruler and expanding foam bot, incorporating ideas like hydro-foiling that they had seen during the America’s Cup. When the competition day came, the boys took out third place. Caleb says the win was a big achievement. “I was very happy because us four kids came third in aquabots in the entire world. Us, in a tiny corner of the world, coming third out of tonnes of university and high school students.” Deputy Principal Brad Hill, who watched the live judging online, had the privilege of telling the boys about the great result aft erwards. “It was just so cool seeing their faces and watching their reactions to it,” says Hill. “I was immensely proud to see a small group of students from Hobsonville put themselves on a global scale.” With several of the team now moving to high school, the boys are looking forward to putt ing some of their new skills into new subjects, like engineering. And, if Alex has his way, an awardwinning aquabot won’t be the last thing he creates - when asked what he wants to be later in life he says something in the fi eld of science and engineering might be on the cards: “I’m already thinking about if I was going to make teleportation, how would I do it.”

Aqua Alphas Alex Hipperson, Jamie Young, Aarav Sharma and Caleb Purcell. Image courtesy of Hobsonville School.

STEAM: Encouraging creativity and critical thinking

We all know that rather than teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics as separate subjects, STEAM integrates them into interdependent learning units, based on real-world applications.

And the global skills shortage in STEAM-related fi elds have redefi ned educational priorities over the past decade.

As well as helping to produce tomorrow's designers and engineers, STEAM programmes help develop innovative mindsets, critical thinking, and problemsolving abilities to ensure that our students become creators, not just consumers, regardless of their chosen fi eld. Providing for a range of STEAM-based teaching and learning will enrich your curriculum and popular current choices include coding and laser cutt ing, as well as the

Science Focused

Laws of Physics: Bricks in Motion

Hands on experiments with LEGO® BricQ Motion

Technology Focused

Robotics & Coding

LEGO® WeDo & Scratch Coding (Advanced)nced)

Engineering Focused

Motorised Model Building Bringing models to life with power functions

Arts Focused

LEGO® Club 3D Virtual Design Architecture Around the World Stop Motion Animation

Mathematics Focused

Solving XYZ LEGOmetry

www.bricks4kidz.co.nz S XBRICKS

Creating a cohesive STEAM curriculum

Developing an engaging STEAM curriculum requires a strategic approach.

Programmes should include a crossover of curriculum objects and STEAM principles. Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics should not be taught in isolation of each other.

While programmes may approach a key STEAM concept, the most eff ective programmes use a combination of intentionally developed curriculum components to teach students observational and analytical skills, and provide them with the vocabulary to communicate their problem-solving solutions. These are the foundational skills which inspire innovation. When students are provided with the tools and space required to apply what they’ve learned through hands-on projects, the learnings become tangible and creativity is born. Concepts such as simple machines, vehicles, architecture and geometry, teach students that most real-world problemsolving is approached with a combination of STEAM principles.

Bricks 4 Kidz uses LEGO® within its STEAM curriculum to deliver high quality programmes in school across New Zealand, for more information contact nz@bricks4kidz.com or visit www.bricks4kidz.co.nz

robotics (of an underwater nature) mentioned above. Adding the arts into the mix transformed STEM into STEAM, in the 2010s.

“Integrating arts activities can decidedly enliven the curriculum content, make lesson outcomes more successful and interesting to both teachers and students, and introduce powerful and inspired creative thinking into the teaching-learning process,” note Sousa and Pilecki in From STEM to STEAM: Using Brain-Compatible Strategies to Integrate the Arts.

What might this mean for your classroom?

Building a STEAM classroom requires fl exible, adaptable furniture design that can cater to digital learning as well as hands-on activities required for arts and engineering projects. Modular tables and desks are useful for this reason and can even come with whiteboard surfaces that students may use to fl ex their creativity and brainstorm in groups. It's even possible to take a STEAM approach in the design process by engaging 3D design apps that allow you to virtually confi gure and reconfi gure your teaching spaces for diff erent learning activities. These solutions mean teachers are encouraged to link the learning environment to their pedagogy, building a STEAM classroom that is both artful and practical. International expert in the fi eld of STEAM, Professor Georgett e Yakman told Associate Professor Zhao Hui Chen and Master Lu Xiaoting from Henan University, in a 2016 interview on the development of information technology research, that schools should take steps to increase the quality and depth of their STEAM outcomes: “To help STEAM achieve bett er results, I recommend: Each school should have a STEAM certifi ed coordinator.

“As a course specialist, application writer and community liaison, these coordinators should be familiar with the interrelationships of education, science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics, and other disciplines, such as career planning, problem-based learning and curriculum integration. “Purchasing equipment and design courses should have the vision of sustainable development, both based on the actual situation of STEAM education, but also to meet the future needs of STEAM education. In order to meet the needs of STEAM education, to achieve the deep integration of information technology and STEAM education, teaching methods such as the use of fl ipclass activities should be used.”

For those unfamiliar with fl ipclass, the ‘Flipped Classroom’ is a blended learning model in which traditional ideas about classroom activities and homework are reversed, or "fl ipped." In this model, instructors have students interact with new material for homework fi rst. It can provide a blank canvas for students to stimulate creativity and encourage unique innovation, perfectly STEAM-appropriate. There are many modern myths that stand in the way of schools delivering their STEAM learning potential. A common complaint is how expensive the STEAM equipment can be to purchase.

US-based STEAM trainer, Mark Herring writes in a post titled “5 Myths about STEAM Learning” on usingtechnologybett er.com that for many people, “the way to get STEAM humming in classrooms is to buy the fl ashiest, shiniest new toys and tools”. He adds:

“The danger with this approach is that teachers disregard the learning pedagogy that STEAM relies on. The best way to get the most out of STEAM is to have students collaborating and seeking to solve realworld, authentic problems.”

A top tip he says he has learned over the years is the tendency for schools to neglect the ‘E’ in STEAM. He suggests teachers refresh their understanding of what engineering is, taking into consideration the four main forms: chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical.

“All of these disciplines have a body of knowledge that teachers can plan for and enable their students to explore and discover. Having this understanding as a teacher is why professional development and teacher experience is crucial to successful STEAM learning in your school.”

Curious about

Caxton Educational

CaxEd publishes the popular NZ Curriculum Mathematics – Stages numeracy series and the award-winning NZ Curriculum Mathematics – Connecting All Strands series, which weaves all the NZ Curriculum strands into one Student Text per year (Years 3-8) establishing a solid backbone for your maths programme. CaxEd off ers Online Teacher Support via their website to complement the Connecting All Strands texts.

Printable masters, interactive games, teaching strategies, and extra tasks for every chapter add more excellent activities for extension or extra practice to the highquality tasks in the books.

Schools that have purchased this series can access these online resources at no cost.

The Ministry of Education’s latest study shows that textbooks outperform computer or tablet-based learning.

AWARD WINNING MATHS TEXTBOOKS

WITH free ONLINE TEACHER SUPPORT

Give your students the best advantage to excel at maths. They use our textbooks, while you have all our free online teacher support. YOUR STUDENTS DESERVE THIS!

mel@caxed.co.nz www.caxed.co.nz