Robotics Camps Held in Alexander Hall

The Murray State University Center for Continuing Education and Academic Outreach (CCEAO), the MSU Teacher Quality Institute (TQI), and the MSU College of Education (COE) sponsored six sessions of weeklong robotics camps this summer in Alexander Hall. Started in 1998 by MSU COE associate professor Tom Lough, the annual camps were designed to bring young learners into contact with fundamental concepts of robotics and to provide hands-on experience in exploring and applying these concepts.

Daily three-hour meetings included activities for building, motorizing, using sensors, and programming with the LEGO® RCX “programmable brick.” Each five-day session finished with a “robotic derby” composed of projects and events that gave the campers plenty of opportunities to apply their new robotics knowledge and skills.

Photographs of the campers were published online daily, so that parents, other relatives, and friends could see the campers in action. This proved to be an extremely popular feature, according to Lough, particularly with grandparents who live miles away.

The sessions were taught by specially trained area school teachers, an MSU graduate student, and an MSU faculty member, with Lough serving as camp director. Jeff Slaton, an award-winning technology teacher at Calloway County High School, taught the June 13-17 camp with separate sessions for students in grades 4-6 and 6-8, assisted by Mike Epperson of Murray Middle School and Jo Beth Robertson of Graves County High School. Michael Miao, a student from Murray High School, was a volunteer assistant.

The June 20-24 camp was a special session for children of migrant workers led by Epperson with Robertson assisting along with Kevin Smothers, MSU graduate student. The June 27 weekly session was part of the TQI Robotics Institute, a new offering designed for teachers from schools in the MSU service area. Simone Parker of Trigg County High School was the lead instructor with Robertson and Smothers as assistants. Smothers was the lead instructor for the July 18-22 camp with Robertson and Angie Murdock, MSU lecturer, assisting.

According to Lough, the camp this summer was the most successful to date. “We usually offer only three or four sessions. This summer we offered six sessions and enrolled nearly twice as many campers as any previous year.” The session for adults was offered for the first time because teachers attending a TQI institute last year visited the camp and were very excited about what they saw. They requested a robotics institute for teachers. Two extra regular sessions were offered for the first time in July, attracting a large number of additional campers.

Dan Lavit, Director of Non-Credit and Youth Programs for CCEAO, echoed Lough’s assessment. “The robotics camp is one of our more successful programs. Each summer, we attract an energetic group of young robotics enthusiasts from the MSU service area. Next year, we hope to expand even more.”

The camp website can be found at http://campus.murraystate.edu/robotics/.