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EdTech Show Daily Tuesday, February 6, 2018 8 Five Reasons to Start a Robotics Competition Team Some benefits of robotics competition teams are the same as any extracurricular activity: social development, improving self-esteem, helping bolster a college application, giving kids a sense of belonging, etc. But robotics competitions do even more. They inspire young people to pursue STEM careers and to be leaders in science and technology. Here are just a few compelling reasons to start a VEX Robotics Competition team. 1. Prepare for the real world: In VEX Robotics competitions, students must work as a team to design, build and program their own robot. Not only are they responsible for all aspects of plan- ning and preparing for the competition, but if a robot breaks or malfunctions while competing, students must think on their feet and work together to come up with a solution. This teaches what it's like to work as a team to creatively solve prob- lems under the pressure of a deadline. 2. Foster learning at all levels: If you've been part of a robotics competi- tion team, you know that they're any- thing but dull. Competitions immerse students in dynamic teamwork, creative challenges, technical problems, project planning, time management and more. As teams work to apply the engineering process to real-world problems, they must figure out how to work within the parameters given, and also figure out how to be as creative as possible. This adds up to a lot of STEM learning as stu- dents plan, iterate, prototype, design and redesign their robots. 3. Get interested in STEM: Did you know that three-quarters of the fastest growing occupa- tions require significant mathematics or science preparation? And by 2018, there could be 2.4 million unfilled STEM jobs in the U.S? And did you know that 28 percent of U.S. companies say that at least half of their new entry-level hires lack basic STEM literacy? One way to stop this "STEM crisis" is to get more kids interested in pursuing STEM careers, and VEX Robotics Competitions are a great way to do that. By using STEM concepts to solve real-world problems, students get to apply their math and science skills in a fun and interesting way, and this can help spark life-long interest in STEM. 4. Fun for everyone: While building and programming your robot may be the team's focus, there's a lot more involved. Just like any company, the team needs people who can design logos, create team merchandise, help with fundraising, track spend- ing, coordinate and man- age logistics, and addi- tional tasks that aren't directly related to engi- neering. This is a great way for kids to see how their skills can add value in a STEM-related field. 5. Why VEX: People of all ages love robots, and everyone gets fired up about competition; because of this stu- dents get excited about STEM without even realizing they're learning. The VEX Robotics Competition is the largest and fastest-growing educational robotics competition for middle school through college-aged students in the world. Last season, over 10,000 teams from more than 30 nations participated in the VEX Robotics Competition. For more information, go to www.vex robotics.com or stop by booth #1149. Classroom Collaboration with ELMO's Huddle Space Technology is more present in the class- room than ever before. K-12 schools across the country are moving towards 1:1 learning models with all kinds of hands-on learning devices being used, many of which are brought by students from home. Schools are then tasked with adapting to the evolution of education technology without worrying about stretching their budgets. ELMO's Huddle Space Collaboration Hub was designed with these ever-changing technology needs in mind. The Huddle Space is an education- al teamwork tool that fosters a collabora- tive classroom environment, provides new learning opportunities and ensures that every student has the chance to par- ticipate and share his or her ideas. The Huddle Space is a simple 8 HDMI input connection source that allows users to switch seamlessly between plugged-in devices and share their screens with the rest of the group, so students can effortlessly work together on projects and group discussions. Switching from one device to another is as simple as pressing a button – no plug- ging and unplugging is necessary. Huddle Space is perfect for schools with tight budgets, stressed AV depart- ments and limited Wi-Fi bandwidth. Huddle Space doesn't require any soft- ware installation or internet connection, and it connects to any HDMI compatible device – iPad, Chromebook, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, even your favorite ELMO Document Camera – making it the perfect solution for 1:1 and BYOD classrooms. Capture lessons through Huddle Space's built-in conferencing microphone and recording capabilities. Huddle Space will record audio and video input and create a file that can be played back as a video at any time. This gives teachers additional insight into how the students are working together and the ability to review the work process later. Teachers can even record lessons for the students to review before exams and assignments. In 2017, ELMO launched the Pilot School Program as a way of offering K- 12 schools across the country the chance to experience the Huddle Space Collaboration Hub and discover its impact on classroom learn- ing. Thirty schools were selected to receive a free 30 day trial of ELMO's Huddle Space G2 and utilize it in the classroom however they want. ELMO is excited to announce that it will be opening up appli- cations for the 2018 Pilot School Program. Like last year's program, Pilot Schools will be given a free 30 day trial of the Huddle Space. At the conclusion of the program, those schools will be eligi- ble to purchase their trial unit for a highly discounted price as well as discounted pricing on ELMO's entire product line. See the Huddle Space Collaboration Hub at booth #1435 during TCEA 2018. For more information, go to www.elmousa.com, call 516.401.1400 or stop by booth #1435. MimioTeach: The Ultimate Interactive Whiteboard Solution The interactive whiteboard solution, MimioTeach, transforms existing dry-erase whiteboards into interactive whiteboards. MimioTeach makes interactive learning easy and practical. MimioTeach is a bar that is placed on an existing wall or board and interacts with a projected computer image. MimioTeach is com- pact in size and lightweight. "MimioTeach is portable and can be moved easily from classroom to classroom if needed," said Doug Pennekamp, Chief Executive Officer of Education 2000, a Trusted Boxlight Mimio Partner. "MimioTeach works with any projector and the interactive space can get larger or smaller depending on the projected image." Education 2000 realizes that schools often have tight budgets. "One of the things I really emphasize to schools is that the MimioTeach interactive white- board solution will do the same thing as other interactive displays but for a more affordable price," Pennekamp said. "The lower cost allows schools and districts to impact more classrooms." Schools can also save money on installation fees with MimioTeach. Installation for MimioTeach is simple, it is ready to use straight out of the box and can be installed by the teacher. MimioTeach is easily placed on a magnetic whiteboard with built-in magnets. If the board where MimioTeach will be used is not mag- netic, magnetic plates are included that can be attached to the board or wall. MimioTeach allows teachers to keep their dry-erase whiteboards and classroom space. Since MimioTeach can be used on a regular dry-erase whiteboard, the dry-erase marker is still a valuable tool. "With MimioTeach teachers can still walk up to their white- boards and use a dry-erase marker without worrying about damaging an expensive interactive display," Pennekamp said. The practical benefits of MimioTeach, along with the budg- et-friendly price, make MimioTeach the ultimate interactive whiteboard solution for the classroom. Contact your local Boxlight Mimio Trusted Partner, Education 2000, to learn more. Visit Education 2000 at booth #1738. For more information, go to www.edu2000plus.com. Learn and Share in the Classroom with Lumens Lumens™ Integration Inc. manufactures products that impact both students and instructors in educational institutions. Utilizing Lumens Full HD cameras and a lecture capture station allows students to learn and share material on any subject. Videos can be live streamed and recorded. Also, the Full HD ed-tech allows the abil- ity to share classroom projects within the same campus or with another educational institution. For anyone that missed a class, the instructor can record the daily lecture and upload it on the campus website. The lecture capture method makes it easier to stream and record live events. Video recordings can be stored directly to a hard drive and uploaded to a cloud- based software platform. Lumens CaptureVision Station is capable of recording a speaker, and physical actions or demonstrations at the same time to provide online learning material. In addi- tion, the video director is able to capture an event and switch to different cameras using a camera controller utilizing up to 128 preset settings. When collaborative learning is applied in the curriculum, a ladibug™ document camera is the must-have learn- ing tool. A ladibug easily integrates with Apple ® TV and other streaming boxes to accommodate a live broadcast from wire- less devices. One touch switches between a live image and an HDMI input. Video and audio may be recorded to a USB drive for transferring files. With all these advancements in educational technology, it's no wonder students are more engaged in the classroom. For more information, go to www .mylumens.com.