From robotics and automation to smart devices, coding is the foundation behind today’s most exciting technologies. This workshop explores how coding powers real-world systems through hands-on programming and interactive challenges. Students will use a robot car and microcontroller to learn how key components work together to bring code to life, solving problems and controlling robotic movement in real time.
In the Skills Workshop, students will move beyond the robot car and dive deeper into physical computing. Using breadboards, sensors, and circuits, they will build a working smart fan that responds to real-time input such as temperature or motion. Along the way, they will gain experience in prototyping, circuit design, and programming smart systems.
Workshop objectives and outcomes
- Awareness of how coding and electronics power modern technologies.
- Identify key components of a microcontroller system and how they function together.
- Learn how to program a microcontroller and a robot car to complete interactive challenges.
- Understand the principles of physical computing and smart systems.*
- Design and build circuits using breadboards and electronic components.*
- Program a microcontroller to interact with sensors and control outputs.*
- Create a working smart fan device based on real-time sensor data.*
Learning competencies
- I can define “Digital Citizenship.”
- I understand the role of microcontrollers, sensors, and actuators in smart systems.
- I can write simple programs using block-based coding to control robotic movement and behaviour.
- I can describe how smart systems use sensors and actuators to interact with the environment.*
- I can design and build circuits using breadboards, wires, and components.*
- I can use real-time data to control a device’s behaviour.*
* These are specific to the Skills Workshops and not covered in other formats.