SEAMEO STEM-ED in collaboration with VEX Robotics and Science Center for Education organizes workshop on “Coding Skill Development: A Guide to Robotic Control in STEM Education”

November 12, 2022 ─ SEAMEO STEM-ED in collaboration with VEX Robotics and ศูนย์วิทยาศาสตร์เพื่อการศึกษา ท้องฟ้าจำลองกรุงเทพ (Science Center for Education) successfully held a workshop on “Coding Skill Development: A Guide to Robotic Control in STEM Education” ─ where participants (education executives, department heads, curriculum designers, and educators) learned about the foundations in coding, and how technological apparatuses can be applied to the STEM learning experience.

VEX Robotics is a technology-based solution organization that specializes in providing education kits to pioneer problem-solving skills and STEM learning experiences. The organization emphasizes on encouraging people of all ages and backgrounds to shape the world of education to be an enjoyable journey. VEX Robotics also holds various competitions for students to showcase their innovative ideas and inspire the community of builders, learners, and students.

In the opening remarks, the Director of Science Center for Education, Yothin Sommanonont underlined that coding skills are also important for students since they elicit logical, critical, and creative thinking processes

Encouraging the utilization of coding and robotics in STEM education, the Director of Science Center for Education said, “learning coding skills will be more fun, and it will open up more career opportunities.”

SEAMEO STEM-ED Centre Director Dr. Kritsachai Somsaman, in the closing remarks, urged for the use of technology and innovation in education. He also voiced his determination to enhance the collaboration among 11 SEAMEO member countries to push forward regional competitiveness. In this regard, the Centre has always sought the best learning resources (in this matter VEX Robotics has demonstrated specialism in technology and innovation learning kits) for education development.

"STEM education is very important to develop our students to confront the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) world and become a strong workforce of the future," the Centre Director highlighted.

The workshop was held at Science Center for Education, 7th Fl. Nature and Environment Building. It was divided into two sessions, one centered on bringing STEM and computing science to classrooms, while another tackled implementing STEM education through coding.

Participants in the event comprised of executives from Assumption Convent School, Vajiravudh College, and Beyond Code Academy. In addition, education department heads, curriculum designers, and educators from different regions (in Thailand) also participated in the session on integrating computer science and STEM education in classrooms.