S T E M
I N
P R A C T I C E
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE – MORE THAN A COMPETITION DR CHARLOTTE FORWOOD AND ISHANA SURIYAPPERUMA
Setting the Scene
Six core values lie at the heart of First LEGO
Picture the scene: a custom designed EV3 robot
League: discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion,
navigating LEGO constructions on a large game
teamwork, and fun. Alongside demonstration of
board, attempting to complete challenges within
these core values, teams complete a robot design
a given time frame. Tension is high. Will the robot
and robot game programming challenge as well as
perform as it did in training? Will the structures
an innovation project using the engineering design
stay in place or create additional barriers to
process. Participation requires good organisational
completing the tasks? How might the judges
skills, a willingness to try new things and to deal
react to the proposed solutions in the innovation
with failure. (This is a regular occurrence with the
project? Team members look on intently as over
programming.) Each year a new challenge theme
the course of two and a half minutes, months of
is released in August. The 2020 theme was Replay
problem solving, programming and perseverance
with a focus on encouraging people to be more
come to fruition, and later proudly share their
active and playful. The robot game board reflected
ideas, learning journey and reflections with a
this theme and the innovation project’s aim was to
panel of international judges. However, First
generate a solution to the issue of decreased
LEGO
activity levels.
League
is
so
much
more
than
a
competition.
Students at Camberwell Girls Grammar School
First LEGO League is an annual event consisting
have participated in First Lego League for the past
of three different divisions, depending on the age
three years. It aligns with our ...BY DESIGN Learning
of the students (4 – 16). In 2020, 600,000+
Architecture Design Principles of Making Sense of
students
100
the World and Adding Value, informed by the
countries around the world. First and foremost,
OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030 Project.
the aim of the event is to build an interest in
Despite the challenges of a long lockdown in
STEM through collaborative, real-world, hands-on
Melbourne, we entered two teams in 2020, with
challenges.
students taking the initiative and utilising Zoom
competed
from
more
than
technology, Miro boards, shared OneNote
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