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Sustaining Robot Technology Education in Brunei Schools Through Competitions
Sustaining Robot Technology Education in Brunei Schools Through Competitions
Sustaining Robot Technology Education in Brunei Schools Through Competitions
IRO 2008
ABU ROBOCON BRO 2008
(local) 2009
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The Science, Technology and Environment
Partnership Centre (STEP Centre)
ROBOTECH 2007 Ministry of Education, Brunei Darussalam
Main Role:
To promote science, technology and
environmental education to schools through
various value-added activities – outdoor and
hands-on.
BRO 2008
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Why robot technology?
1. Realise career choice and can improve creative and innovation thinking in
technology-related education.
2. No such attempt yet in education system (now can link to current D&T in
SPN21).
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ROBOTECH 2005
To date, the robot technology-based competitions introduced and
organised by STEP Centre are :
3. Teams design and build simple autonomous robot which races to complete a
race track as fast as possible.
6. Since first introduced in 2003, the primary goals are either about speed or
completion of race lap within the shortest time – By 2005 onwards, STEP
Centre included tough robot competition called Gladiators.
micromouse competitions.
CHALLENGES (Micromouse)
1. No continuity after national event (not joining international competition).
2. Not much educational skills required / short-termed. E.g. students learn how
to do a simple soldering.
3. Based on luck on day of competition – Some work for months and failed on
the real day, some just worked on the mouse the night before, and won the
next day!
4. Can ask somebody else to prepare without judges know about it, simply turn
up and win! Again no educational or healthy competition values.
5. Still not being used as a learning material directly in lessons, e.g. in physics,
etc.
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LEGO Mindstorms
4. Under STEP Centre, LEGO Mindstorms for Schools, LEGO RCX software
version 2.5 was introduced and utilised initially – then NXT software version
2.9.
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5. The body structures uses familiar LEGO bricks. Programming with computer,
read by infrared. Read by the “brain”. Completion of specific tasks such as
scoring goals, overcoming hurdles and so on.
6. Smart looks and ability to look differently thanks to the bricks, this is an
attractive competition and suits well with primary and secondary students.
STEP Centre initially trained 20 teachers (10 primary and 10 secondary) for a
duration of 2 ½ hours for 5 afternoons.
7. Currently, more than 40 schools in the country possess at least one set of LEGO
Mindstorms with site license – Schools’ own budget to purchase sets and
license.
8. The local competition follows exactly with international competition for that
year. STEP would build the same race tracks as per international programmes
– helps ensure winning teams that represent the country will be very familiar
with the competition – thus achieve a better result in international
competitions.
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Challenges (Lego Mindstorm Competition)
3. WRO, IRO held in either far away countries or not usually accessible to our
students.
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LOCAL COMPETITIONS
Figure 1. The 3 types of local competitions with their venues and dates of events from
2003 - 2009)
Year Robotech Competition Brunei Robotic ABU Robocon (local
(Micromouse) Competion (LEGO selection)
Mindstorms)
2003 Jerudong Playground – –
Amphitheatre (9th Mac)
2004 Universiti Brunei Beribi Telanai primary Oil and Gas Discovery
Darussalam (UBD) school Centre (OGDC) Seria
(14th Mac) (25th Sept) (20th April)
2005 The Mall Gadong Pusar Ulak primary Sultan Saiful Rijal
(22nd May) school (20th Sept) Technical School (7th July)
2006 Pusat Tingkatan Enam Sayyidina Abu Bakar Paduka Seri Begawan
Berakas (20th July) secondary school (16th Sultan Science College
Sept) (29th June)
2007 Duli Pengiran Muda Al- PAP Hajah Masna Not held
Muhtadee Billah College secondary school
(5th August) (29th Aug)
2008 Berakas Secondary PAP Hajah Masna Not held
School (20th Aug) Secondary School (28th
Aug)
2009 Not held (due to Influenza A H1N1 outbreak) RTB Sungai Akar 12
(13th June)
International achievement
Figure 2a. Brunei Darussalam’s participation in international ABU ROBOCON
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RECOMMENDATIONS
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