![]() Without it, humans would not have inhabited every corner of this planet. Risk-taking, leaping, trying again, and failing are part of our genetic material. Go #BeyondCode and enrich your learning experience with engaging STEAM activities that foster creativity and collaboration. But what if we allow students to fail in a safe space and make learning a personal endeavor? ![]() Oftentimes we can see failure, particularly in exams, as negative - one of the worst things we can allow students to experience. STEM skills grant students the 21st-century abilities needed to perform a wide range of both essential and highly-skilled jobs. STEM teaching is the hands-on exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts, and it’s becoming an increasingly important part of modern-day education. Critical thinkers can solve problems by keeping a clear mind and rational thoughts that will help you analyze a situation and make a sound decision. That’s the basic process of critical thinking. Using information available, combined with skills acquired, can help make good decisions. That's something you can't do in Minecraft.Sphero makes remarkably cool, programmable robots and STEAM-based educational tools that transform the way kids learn, create and invent through coding, science, music, and the arts. But Sphero's SPRK+ is physical, and kinetic, and it makes messy paintings. A Breakthrough in Engineering Kits for Kids & Teens: This is Sphero Blueprint. How many coding toys does a child need? I'm not sure which option I'd pick for my almost-eight-year-old. As a fun little toy with a lot of fringe benefits, Sphero is finding a lot of ways to hang around. Even without a class of my own to teach, I still had fun with the pre-release app and the SPRK+. But it's another example that coding toys for kids are everywhere. I haven't tried it in an educational setting. ![]() Sphero is already in use in over 1,000 schools. The Sphero SPRK Lightning Lab app allows you to control and program your robot in an easy, straight forward way. That type of robot-to-robot emergent behavior could be fascinating, but it's not possible yet. In my opinion, the only real shortfall of the Sphero SPRK+ is that it can't recognize other Spheros. A number of activities are designed as STEM (Science, Technology, Education and Math) challenges, and the included course instructions can organized into classes in-app. Others model systems like planetary motion, or using the Spheros to make art, or just having them dance. Designed for learner progression, Sphero Edu beginners can give robots commands by drawing a path in the app for their robot to follow. Go beyond code by incorporating unique STEAM activities to complete with your bot. Some use coding, or building and completing tasks like chariot or boat enclosures to win races, or designing and completing a maze. Sphero Edu is your hub to create, contribute, and learn with Sphero robots. There are hundreds of free activities to browse - some made by Sphero, others from the community. But the updated Lightning Lab app adds programmable sounds to make it feel like your little coding buddy is beeping and booping. Much like Sphero's BB-8 toy, the SPRK+ is mostly silent. It functions the exact same way as older Sphero robots, but that better Bluetooth can come in handy for the market SPRK is targetting: Educators who have to set up multiple Sphero robots at once. You can see the motor, circuits, and other cool tech guts inside. ![]() Sphero SPRK+ costs a little more than last year's SPRK, but adds a scratch-resistant coating and a better tap-to-pair Bluetooth Smart connection to the rolling robot. SPRK adds a few tweaks, but it's mostly the same idea as last year. My son used it to add a bunch of minifigures. A snap-on chariot accessory, for instance, has a Lego-friendly top to build on. Users draw lines to program their robot and can modify the speed and color. Sphero makes a number of accessories that snap onto this or other, older Sphero models. Programming with Sphero Edu You can code Sphero robots in 3 different ways using the Sphero Edu app: Draw Programming: This simpler method of programming is intended for grades PK-2, and is simply named 'Draw'. While there are bulk and package discounts available to educators, or cheaper options like the Sphero Mini (Sphero, n.d. Sphero has LED lights and inductive charging, and its motors can make it spin at various speeds and directions, using Android, iOS or Amazon Fire tablets and phones to remote-control it. An individual Sphero SPRK+ costs 129.99 (Sphero, n.d.-b). And this little ball is waterproof and shockproof too. They also show how much this $129 (equivalent to £90 UK, or AU$175) robot can do: Painting, maze-running and precise turning. Some activities involve actual step-by-step coding that's drag-and-drop simple, while others involve thinking how to creatively use the Sphero's motions. Sphero SPRK and Lightning Lab have a lot of fun challenges and projects that feel like interactive lesson plans, mostly because they are. ![]()
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