R2D2 and Dr Who Dalek launch robotic training room
- Publication: The Echo
- Date: 2015-05-14
- Author: Mary Dennehy
- Page: 22
- Language: English
DESPITE a hectic TV and film schedule, a Doctor Who Dalek and R2D2 from Star Wars rolled into St Aidan's Community School in Brookfield this week to help launch a new robotics training room.
The iconic robots were joined by Mr Drummond's 1st year metal work students, two of whom have been participating in a series of empowering robotics training workshops run by Mechatrons a Trinity College based company.
Students Emmanuel Akins and Jack Brady have now brought their new skills on coding and robot building back to St Aidan's and are running a club from the new InTo-Space room every Wednesday at lunch time.
To some this may sound very futuristic but St Aidan's is simply ahead of the curve - with coding and robotics expected to be on all school curriculums in the coming years.
Coding is basically computer programming and an emphasis has been placed on this creative learning in recent years as young people are encouraged to, for example, code, develop websites, apps and games.
The idea for the robotics training programme arose from the JCSP Learning Libraries InTo-Space concept, which has robots, science, coding, Minecraft, engineering, maths and all things technical at its heart.
St Aidan's JCSP Librarian, Martina Flynn told The Echo: "The training that the pupils have received has thought them so much and opened up so many opportunities for the future. "They have also being introduced to many different skills such as engineering, computer coding, team work and collaborative and organic learning."
She added: "At the moment, the coding club is optional for students.
"However, next year we might integrate an introductory class into the curriculum - this will be an area of learning that most schools will adopt in the coming years.
"There is already a lot of work being done by schools across the area and by IT Tallaght and local libraries and I think it's important that schools come together and learn from each other.
"As part of the project we participated in with Mechatrons we were encouraged to go back to our communities and share our learning with others - which we are happy to do."
St Aidan's took part in the project alongside Riversdale Community College and CBS James' Street with the three schools working together to facilitate collaborate and student-led learning.
Ms Flynn also wished to thank art teacher Mr Kington who helped the students to paint the robots and create art work for the walls of the new room.
The training that the pupils have received has thought them so much and opened up so many opportunities for the future. They have been trained how to code and build robots using the Arduino microcontroller, which can be connected to a robot or a robotic car - anything really.
Iconic robots rolled into St Aidan's Community School in Brookfield despite busy TV and film schedule.
"They have been trained how to code and build robots using the Arduino microcontroller, which can be connected to a robot or a robotic car - anything really.
Captions:
PROGRAMME: Jack Brady, St Aidan's Community College, Peter Redmond Managing Director of Mechatrons, Abderahman Haouit and Eric McElroy from Riversdale Community College photographed with a working model of a Dr Who Dalek
LAUNCH: Martina Flynn, St Aidan's CC librarian, Jack Flynn, Theresa Hogan, John Hogan and Aaron Tynan from CBS James's St with a working model of R2D2 Photos by Joe McCartney
BLEEP BLOOP: Jack Brady and Aaron Hogan WITH R2D2
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- APA 6th ed.: Dennehy, Mary (2015-05-14). R2D2 and Dr Who Dalek launch robotic training room. The Echo p. 22.
- MLA 7th ed.: Dennehy, Mary. "R2D2 and Dr Who Dalek launch robotic training room." The Echo [add city] 2015-05-14, 22. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Dennehy, Mary. "R2D2 and Dr Who Dalek launch robotic training room." The Echo, edition, sec., 2015-05-14
- Turabian: Dennehy, Mary. "R2D2 and Dr Who Dalek launch robotic training room." The Echo, 2015-05-14, section, 22 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=R2D2 and Dr Who Dalek launch robotic training room | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/R2D2_and_Dr_Who_Dalek_launch_robotic_training_room | work=The Echo | pages=22 | date=2015-05-14 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=15 June 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=R2D2 and Dr Who Dalek launch robotic training room | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/R2D2_and_Dr_Who_Dalek_launch_robotic_training_room | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=15 June 2025}}</ref>
