Discovering the Fun of Learning - Technology Education for Kids

I don’t usually give a plug unless I think that a company really deserves it. This one truly does, and has made a big difference for my family.

For the past 10 years, I have had the pleasure of knowing the Laschkewitsch family and their passion for teaching technology to kids through our local school system and local public workshops. I watched their idea grow into their own company.  In 2008, they incorporated their idea of teaching technology into a fun, hands-on environment and formed a local non-profit organization. Learn to Discover has taken their vision out into our community, where they offer a variety of workshops in several of our local counties.

Last month, I had a fun opportunity to volunteer for Learn to Discover during Education Days at the Santa Cruz County Fair during their LEGO Robotics demonstrations. It was not only very interesting, but it was an eye-opening experience.

At first glance of the table, you might think it was the usual Fair display with flyers and info pamphlets, along with a few displays of LEGO Robotics creatures a student might build in their classes.  Typical stuff, right?  Well, only at first glance. Let me take you on a short tour.

As you stroll by the display table, you browse and your mind begins to wander since you are still drowsy from the morning fog that seems to sit comfortably in your brain. You are also feeling a bit bleary eyed from lack of coffee.  With visions of a large steaming mocha latte in your head, you stare blankly at the display. You are snapped out of your daze by a seemingly innocent representative of the company asking you to wave your hand in front of the inanimate LEGO Robotics creature sitting in front of you. Expecting it to move slightly or flash some lights, you humor the rep and the crowd gathering around, with a knowing smile to your audience, you play along. You wave your hand in front of it and... WHAM! Suddenly, that so-called inanimate comes alive, darting out at you and snapping its terrible fangs! Surely, your arm is going to be chewed off or worse. You were almost bitten by a rattlesnake. Well, a robotic one that is.

It doesn’t take you more than a fraction of a second to know that this is no normal display table, and you have been taken for a ride. Indeed, you were just attacked by a LEGO Robotics rattlesnake, one of the many projects that students tackle in the Learn to Discover workshops.

Don’t feel bad, they got me with the rattlesnake too!

Later, my daughter and I set up the stage for the LEGO Robotics Sumo Wrestlers demonstration. We set up the wrestling ring on the floor, placed the two robots in the center and turned them on. Within seconds, crowds of kids and adults flocked over, all shyness was gone. The questions were flying, “How does that work?”  “What are they doing?” and the most asked question of the morning was “Who is controlling them?”

Many of the students were surprised that these were examples of real robots and they were built with LEGOs and were programmed to do these things. They were also very excited that they could learn how to do it too.

Next, we demonstrated a LEGO Robotics race car, setting up the track on stage. This time the crowd had tripled. The race car seemed to be the hit of the day, as kids lined up to take their turn controlling the car through the race track. The biggest question was “How did you make it?”

As adults, we find it fun to see these kinds of things. But, young and learning minds want to know why and how it works; they want to experience it and see what is behind the magic. Watching this through the eyes of the students has been an amazing eye-opener for me.  This is a time of exploration, a time when kids not only want to grasp the knowledge, but it is a time when they are asking the right questions and truly want to try it. They want to explore the latest in technology, while having the fun of building, creating and learning.  They aren’t just playing; they are actually learning very important skills in logic and reasoning.  Technology IS their future. These classes also help them to discover that life-long learning is fun.

Learn to Discover teaches many different kinds of technology workshops in a large variety of subjects in after school programs, classrooms, parties, events and more that address the important areas of STEAM. Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math.

Also, there is some exciting local news. Did you know that there is a Children’s Museum on the horizon for Santa Cruz? Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery is in the works, and Learn to Discover is also one of a variety of local exhibitors planning displays for the museum. There is fundraising preview with a variety of exhibits for adults this Friday night, November 1, 2013. Come on out, help out a great cause and get a sneak peek at this innovative and fun future resource.

If you are interested in finding children’s technology classes near you, check out the Learn to Discover website for more information.