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Teaching BattleBots in High School

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the but-sir-what's-this-button-for dept.

Some Guy writes: "We all know that everyone's favourite TV show is BattleBots on Comedy Central, Right? Well, a new program has started at my old high school that teaches BattleBots to kids. It's a truly engaging engineering program/curriculum that kids and school systems can use for credit. The program is called BattleBots IQ. Kids out there can get their teachers to go to battlebots training camps during the summer, and then have them teach battlebots to them as a class. I wish it was around when I was a kid."

6 of 174 comments (clear)

  1. Useful subject by BlueFall · · Score: 2, Funny

    And when the apocalypse comes, this will become even more practical!

  2. Building Future Engineers by Alien54 · · Score: 4, Funny
    This sort of thing is a great whay to get kids into engineering.

    If I recall right, there has been a decline in engineers in school in the USA. So this would be a good way to promote that sort of thing.

    Unless the workforce gets shipped out overseas.

    --
    "It is a greater offense to steal men's labor, than their clothes"
  3. Liability? by sam_handelman · · Score: 3, Funny

    "No, Your Honor, the children were just making Killer Robots. We had no idea it wouldn't be safe."

    I'm amazed that the school's legal department allows this kind of thing. Battlebots are probably safer than rocketry (which my elementary school wouldn't let us do for legal reasons) but still, the potential is there for serious injury. It's probably easier to get this sort of thing allowed in High School. I wonder how heavily they emphasise safety? Based on my quick review of the two rules documents, they've at least had the good sense not to allow guns, bombs or cattleprods. Also, the Robot has to be safe to handle while off; but that may not be enough protection - I realize the stuff in the shop room down the hall is actually far more dangerous, but it doesn't involve the sanctioned game of using it as a weapon.

    Play careful, Kids! Don't ruin the fun for future generations by chopping any of your toes off.

    Also, just once incident of a robot with a chainsaw chasing screaming teenagers down a hallway would put a quick end to the program, I'd assume.

    --
    The good and new comes from no quarter where it is looked for, and is always something different from what is expected.
  4. Perspective by X-Nc · · Score: 2, Funny
    "I wish it was around when I was a kid."

    Hell, I wish they had computers when I was a kid.

    --
    --
    If I actually could spell I'd have spelled it right in the first place.
  5. Not funny? I disagree by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Just watching geeks nervously make fools of themselves when interviewed by bimbos is reason enough to watch. Seeing multi-thousand dollar machines get smashed all to hell is just a bonus, IMO.

    --
    Spaz!

  6. Some things chever nange by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Mom! My homework ate the dog!"

    --
    Table-ized A.I.