Blog Posts

Rise together: Being a ‘Force for Change’ in different times

Posted by Joe Slifka on April 18, 2020

The 2020 season for the LaBrae High School robotics team, The RoboVikes, ended on Thursday, March 12. We weren’t planning to finish so early, but, like much the rest of the country, our school was shut down and ordered to remain closed for three weeks. That was more than five weeks ago now. In Ohio, we are currently in “shelter in place” mode with only essential businesses remaining open, with plans to reassess the COVID-19 situation in early May. 

As we navigate these different times, I wanted to share some moments we had during our season and ways that teams can stay connected and continue to build your skill sets. 

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Topics: BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, IDEAS & INSPIRATION, ROBOTICS, Teacher Resources, Collaborations, FIRST Tech Challenge, Technology, Trends, Resources, Activities, TETRIX Robotics, 21st Century Skills, innovate, Workforce Development, 3-D Printing

I was wondering . . . Big questions and big conversations: SEL Contest

Posted by Admin on November 21, 2019

We’re all about preparing students for the world they will live in. Developing skills for school, work, and life through hands-on learning has been our core since Pitsco’s inception. For today’s learners, social and emotional learning, along with skills like critical thinking, collaboration, and communication, play a crucial role in 21st-century education. We’re proud to support the I Was Wondering contest from Red T Media, an initiative that also shares in our mission to help young minds learn how to think, instead of just what to think.

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Topics: IN THE CLASSROOM, BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, IDEAS & INSPIRATION, Giveaways, Collaborations, STEM, Trends, Social and emotional learning, Future Ready, 21st Century Skills, Contest

National Techies Day: Definitely a reason to celebrate

Posted by Preston Frazier on October 03, 2019

“Technology makes the world a new place.”
 – Shoshana Zuboff

Yes . . . we’re celebrating another holiday. This one might be a little obscure, but it’s worth recognizing. October 3 is National Techies Day. Per Merriam-Webster, a “techie is a person who is very knowledgeable or enthusiastic about technology and especially high technology.” One would naturally assume that National Techies Day is all about those who love smartphones, smart watches, smart homes, and anything else deemed smart. And that’s true to some degree, but there’s also another aspect of it that is even cooler than the latest tech – promoting technology-based careers to today’s learners and future workforce. 

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Topics: IN THE CLASSROOM, BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, IDEAS & INSPIRATION, ROBOTICS, Teacher Resources, Collaborations, Technology, Careers, Coding, Professional Development, Future Ready, TETRIX Robotics, 21st Century Skills

FIRST® things first: Are you ready?

Posted by Preston Frazier on April 13, 2019

Top 7 things you need for FIRST® Champ

“Remember, if you fail to prepare you are preparing to fail.”
– H. K. Williams

Will you be traveling soon to the FIRST Championship in either Houston (April 17-20) or Detroit (April 24-27)? You might be a spectator watching from afar or a fan sitting in the stands supporting your favorite robotics team. But even more exciting, you might be on one of the competing FIRST Tech Challenge teams that has made it all this way. If so, congratulations! That’s something to celebrate.

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Topics: BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, Competitions, ROBOTICS, Collaborations, FIRST Tech Challenge, Technology, Social and emotional learning, TETRIX Robotics

Coding in elementary: Tackling 21st-century needs begins with TagTiles®

Posted by Admin on March 25, 2019

Educators just make things happen. All of you use your resources, aren’t afraid of new things, and love nothing more than new ways to get students thinking and doing. And it’s no secret we aim to put engaging products and solutions in the hands of eager educators who use them to empower students. This is the essence of our daily work.

So, when we had the opportunity to pilot KUBO, a plug-and-learn robot for elementary students, into nine classrooms across the US, we jumped at it!

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Topics: IN THE CLASSROOM, Elementary School, ROBOTICS, Collaborations, STEM, Coding, 21st Century Skills, Hands-on Learning