We’d like to introduce you to Pucará School in Tucumán, which is implementing the SmartTEAM project with its primary school pupils. We’re sharing the school’s experience, as recounted first-hand by Fabián Brizuela, a teacher of computing and technology.
Would you like to receive further information?
If you work at an educational institution and are interested in the project, we can arrange a presentation.
“Right from the moment they first came into contact with the SmartTeam project, the children were motivated and raring to get stuck in”
How did the idea of implementing the SmartTEAM project come about?
At Pucará School, we wanted to launch a robotics programme for our pupils, and we did so through the SmartTEAM educational project, which is designed to promote computational thinking, robotics and programming through activities that encourage our pupils to play, build and programme. We began by working with pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6. First, we explored the Robotics Kit together and identified each of its parts, the sensors and the actuators. We then programmed the robot using a computer and the platforms provided by SmartTEAM.
How was the SmartTEAM project received by the students?
From the very moment the pupils heard about the robotics project, they were filled with excitement and eagerness to learn about it and get it up and running. At first, the preparation was mainly theoretical. But then, when we launched the programme… the sense of wonder it sparked in them was immense! From the moment they first got their hands on the kit, the children were motivated and raring to get stuck in.
So, what is the challenge now?
We now want to continue building on what we have started and to involve all the other areas of the school in the world of robotics. The projects and activities presented by SmartTEAM are designed in line with the pillars of computational thinking, and their problem-solving approach fosters in pupils not only algorithmic thinking, but also the ability to abstract, break down and recognise different patterns. In fact, this year we opened the robotics classroom – “a space within the classroom, yet separate from it” – specifically designed to enhance our pupils’ skills. We are confident that, in the near future, Pucará School will be able to provide society with intuitive young people possessing outstanding creative skills in the fields of computing and technology.
