This year's Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) took place in Orlando, Fla., on January 14–17, 2025, bringing together more than 9,000 people.
At this year's Future of Education and Technology Conference (FETC), PBS News Hour Classroom had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Jimmy Lin, director of computer science education for VEX Robotics, about reducing barriers of entry to computer science and robotics for young students through block-based programming.
"When you do traditional text-based programming like Pascal, C++, or Python, you're essentially programming in English, but with block-based programming, you can do it with Chinese, Spanish, Arabic or your native language," says Lin. "It reduces a barrier for them to just get their steps in and say, 'Hey, I'm able to program'."
Lin also discusses how educators can feel more comfortable with teaching students in a field they're not necessarily experts in by changing their approach.
"Don't be afraid. The teacher should not be the instructor here – you should be a facilitator to help guide the students through the material and help them to go through the problem-solving skills they should be developing," says Lin.
To learn more about FETC and to see how you can participate in next year's conference, you can visit their website.
You can learn more about how to get started with robotics and invention education for students of any age on the VEX robotics webpage and by reaching out to your school to see if there is a program available.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Lesson plan: Exploring environmental impacts of coral reef pollution using robotics
Lesson Plan: Charting a course to healthy eating habits using robotics
Read: Educator Voice: Creating lifelong learners through robotics and equity
Read: Student Voice: How learning robotics opens the door for invention education
Be sure to check out PBS News Hour Classroom's Invention Education collection full of lessons and video stories featuring student inventors and their teachers.
We also have an Invention Educator Network (no experience necessary!), which brings together teachers from various subjects and grade levels to discuss all things invention & innovation. Sign up here to learn more.
Produced by Gianfranco Beran, News Hour Classroom's production assistant, and Victoria Pasquantonio.
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