This document provides an overview of robotics team coaching and mentoring. It discusses what makes an effective team, including having a coach, mentor(s), managers, and parental support. The requirements of FIRST Lego League (FLL) and World Robot Olympiad (WRO) teams are outlined. Tips are provided on how to start and build a successful team through team-building activities, assigning roles, and allowing learners to guide the process. The reality of challenges like team members growing up and competing priorities is acknowledged.

1. College of
Science,
Engineering &
Technology
Community
Engagement
I-SET
Inspired towards
Science,
Engineering and
Technology

2. I-SET Robotics Coach and Mentor Training
19 May 2012

3. What is a team?
Issues and reality

4. Outline
• What is a team?
• What does a team look like?
• Requirements of an FLL team.
• Requirements of a WRO team.
• How to start a team?
• How to build a team?
• Reality check

5. What is a team?
• A collection of learners.
• Working and learning together.
• From a school, community, family …
• Diverse talents, skills and passions.
• Different ages, genders, race,
background.

6. What does a team look like?
• No fixed recipe!
• Age, gender, size, IQ …. Shoe size!
• Sense of humour ...

7. Teams 2012

8. Drama – how not to ...

10. Presentation/Training

11. Singing?

12. Strategy!!

13. Prizes!

14. Fun competition

15. And the team needs
• A coach (hands on teaching,
technical)

16. Hints for the coach
• You do not need to be an engineer to be a
coach.
• Your team must define team rules.
• Tell parents – especially that kids do the
work!
• Keep asking questions – what of, why,
how?

17. More hints for the coach
• Do not do it alone!
• Figure out funding.
• Committed to meeting schedule.
• Parents need roles too!
• Good time management.
• Keep it FUN Fun Fun.

18. And the team needs
• Mentor(s) (motivator, guidance).
• Any person that works with the team
in an area of expertise.
• Engineer, student, graphic artist,
programmer, marketing expert, drama
teacher, carpenter ….

19. And the team needs
• Managers.
• Administration - registration,
attendance
• Photography, sponsorship, media,
transport, catering ….
• Website – design and read …

20. And the team needs
• PARENTS that support
• Especially in weeks around
competition!!!
• Treats appreciated!

21. Where is the team?

22. Other team issues ...
• Team name.
• Team logo.
• Team roles and responsibilities -
research, build, program, present,
strategy, time keeper, marketing,
documents ... .

23. Requirements of a FLL team
• Must work together from begin September to
end October (at least).
• Max 10 learners. Aged 10 -16 years.
• Must program and build robot to complete FLL
challenge missions.
• Must research challenge, identify a problem,
suggest solution and present research.
• Will be judged on TEAM WORK!

24. FLL - Gracious professionalism
• We are a team.
• We do the work to find solutions with
guidance from our coaches and mentors.
• We honour the spirit of friendly
competition
• What we discover is more important than
what we win.

25. FLL - Gracious professionalism
• We share our experiences with
others.
• We display Gracious
ProfessionalismTM in everything we
do.
• We have fun.

26. Requirements of a WRO team
• 2 or 3 learners working together.
• Challenge according to age group (elementary,
juniour high school, seniour high school, and
open
• Many long hours and patience needed to
practise, test and try designs for challenge.
• On competition day, work together to build robot
in 2 hours!

27. How to start a team?
• Start with a group (6 to 10) of learners.
• Divide session into team building, robot
building, programming and ‘free’ time.
• Encourage participation in all activities!
• Assign different roles and combinations.

28. 2009 Team techno π

29. 2010 Team Work Nationals

30. How to build a team?
• Read the manual.
• Link to manual ....

31. Quotes from the manual
• It requires no special expertise, just patience,
dedication and a willingness to learn
ALONGSIDE the team.
• You are never in this by yourself or for yourself.

32. How to build a team?
• Good to start with team building activity.
• Talk about team work.
• Talk ‘nicely’ to each other – it takes
practice.
• Take lots and lots of photos of the teams
and the robots

33. Team building activities
• Google ...

34. My team secret!
• Condensed milk!

35. Reality?
• The learners grow up and mature ….
• Life happens – and other things interfere!
• Teamwork does not happen naturally.
• Every one has a “bad hair day”.
• Not everyone on the team wants to build
or program. The team needs researchers,
speakers and artists too.

36. More reality …
• It’s the learners who are learning …
let them do and try and think!
• Allow learners make mistakes – again
and again!
• Guide do not dictate!
• There needs to be fun, laughter, and
learning!

37. Africa Reality

38. Africa team reality

39. Good news
• Robotics in Africa
• Posted by Vu Nguyen on Thursday, May 3rd, 2012 | 1 Comment
• We came across an article about a great initiative that’s happening
in Africa. A program called AFRON, or the African Robotics Network
, is “aiming to mobilize a community of institutions and individuals
working on robotics-related areas, strengthening communication
and collaboration among them.”
• You can read more about AFRON by clicking on the following link:
• http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/robotics-hardware/african-rob
• …read more.
•

40. Thank you