Ed Tech Magazine – D. Frank Smith
“There’s a robotics movement under way at schools across the country, and it’s aimed squarely at developing a passion for STEM education in the kids who need it the most. Building robots is a sport for the mind, and, despite being unorthodox, it’s become an officially recognized high school sport in two states, and more states are set to follow. The organization leading this movement — For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) — was founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen, the man behind the Segway. FIRST hosts robotics competitions, in which students create programmable robots to carry out tasks. These include the FIRST Robotics Challenge (FRC), the organization’s flagship program; the FIRST Tech Challenge, a lower-cost alternative to the FRC; and FIRST Lego League, the most popular challenge, in which students create programmable robots built from LEGO blocks.”(more)