I recently came across an article in the VEX Library called “What to Look for in a VEX GO Classroom”. I thought this would helpful for our administrators. There are no articles like this for 123, IQ, or EXP (all of which our district uses). Are there any ideas of what I can include as a similar list for these other platforms?
@Aimee_DeFoe @Audra_Selkowitz @Alaina_Haws @Lauren_Harter @LORI_COLANGELO
Hi @Tina_Dietrich that is a great article that to me, helps to give people (like administrators) who may not be used to seeing hands-on, collaborative, project based learning in action in the way that VEX GO is intended to be used by students, a way to know that there is active learning going on, and not chaos 
.
I think much of this article also applies to the other platforms as well - like the main ideas of what you would see (students actively moving around and not sitting at their desks, touching the robots/pieces, building, etc.), or hear (conversations, perhaps enthusiastic ones!, and not silence or ‘traditional’ call and response).
I think the scenarios that are listed at the top of the article could easily be replicated for your situation specifically, highlighting examples that have actually taken place in your district would be incredibly powerful. And that can help you reinforce the ways that teachers are succeeding in using VEX throughout the district -by highlighting what ‘success’ looks like in your schools. For instance, here’s a quick general rewrite of the scenarios at the start of the article for 123.
A VEX 123 Learning Center - One of the class’s center options is a VEX 123 Robot, Field, and Coder with Coder cards set up for students to use with VEX 123 Activities. Throughout the year, the teacher offers new activities related to what the class is learning about, for further student exploration. This can be a successful set up for a veteran teacher who is new to teaching computer science and may be hesitant to dive right into using STEM Labs with students.
Teaching STEM Labs in a 1st grade classroom - The teacher chooses STEM Lab Units that align with what is happening in the class curriculum, and teaches STEM Labs as “plug in” lessons to incorporate computer science into math, science, and language arts lessons. During these lessons, the teacher can be seen acting in a facilitator role, and students are working in small groups to build and test projects with the 123 Robots. Students document their projects and save them using the 123 Printables.
STEM Class uses VEX 123 during students’ “Specials” period - STEM Teachers proceed through STEM Lab Units with students over the course of the school year, and during each STEM period, students complete a Lab. Because many of same activities can be completed with Touch, Coder, and VEXcode 123, all grade level students have similar experiences and shared learning outcomes from grades K-3.
I hope this is helpful!
That helps a lot…thanks!
