Ivy Tech Community College-Bloomington offers a free robotics workshop every other Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Ivy Tech-Bloomington’s Connie and Steve Ferguson Academic Building, 200 Daniels Way, until December 9. Additionally, youth art classes are now open for registration and some classes began on Tuesday, October 28.
Each robotics workshop draws around 35 kids ranging from grades four through 12 who are interested in the programming aspect of robots. Kirk Barnes, Dean of Technology and Applied Sciences, is the director of the workshop. Each class is taught by Ivy Tech students who earn service learning credit for their involvement. The student-teachers come from a variety of different academic disciplines, not just those interested in robotics and technology.
Each class teaches kids how to program a different part of their self-built “Lego Mindstorm” robot.
Every once in a while the robots compete against each other in various tasks but Barnes says that the main goal of the workshop is for the kids to “just have fun and learn a little bit about programming.”
For children more interested in art than robotics there are several different arts and crafts classes taught at the Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts Center. Children in grades six through nine can participate in Intro to Hand Building where they will learn how to construct clay sculptures using a variety of hand-building techniques. In Ceramics for Kids, children in grades two through five will create mythology themed ceramic sculptures and pottery using the wheel and basic hand-building skills. The young artists will also get to use texture and glaze to finish their projects. Finally, children in grades two through five can participate in Drawing and Painting for Kids. In this class, children will learn how to combine drawing, painting, collaging, printmaking and assemblage to create unique works of art.
For more information and to sign up for Ivy Tech’s youth programs, visit http://www.ivytech.edu//cll/youth/.
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.
