By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
BERWICK Lodge Primary School’s tech hub of robotics and 3-D printing is creating something of a Silicon Valley.
Just donated to the school is a brand-new Dremel 3-D printer worth $2500 but thrown out because of a small flaw.
It’s been used to make a dice, a chess piece, model school bus and a frog – built layer upon layer with molten plastic.
The process – called ‘additive manufacturing’ – took between 35 to 150 minutes for each piece.
The school will next use the printer to test the bridge designs’ strength. Students can type in the algorithm for their design, print out its parts, assemble them then test the model’s rigidity.
In essence, students are learning and using maths, physics, geometry and coding.
“All the kids are amazed at what the technology will do,” digital technology teacher Rob Kelly says.
“They can design anything and then physically hold it. It brings to them the real world of engineering.”
The printers are already used extensively in American schools, but are being trialled at few Australian schools, principal Henry Grossek said.
You could say the school is a microcosm of the much-vaunted, perhaps under-delivered ‘smart country’.
A parent, who works at engineering company Bosch, sourced the printer. He had earlier enrolled his daughter Scarlet at Berwick Lodge on the strength of its Prep-6 robotics program.
“What Bosch want to do is support the development of engineering in our schools,” Mr Grossek said.
“Engineering is a big part of our future. But Australia is falling way behind in robotics in schools in my opinion.
“You’ll see the politicians talk about it, but we’ve closed these areas up.”
In July, Berwick Lodge students are taking part in an Asia-Pacific robotics competition in Sydney. They earned the right to represent Australia after being crowned state champions.
There’s further innovation in the school’s radio studio. Students write and perform an hour-long radio show for 97.7FM 3SER Casey Radio each week.
They also produce animated movies in their recently refurbished multimedia studio, in preparation for their ‘Lodgies’ night at Drum Theatre in September.
Mr Grossek says the school’s focus on sci-tech is attracting rising enrolments.
“Families are driving past other schools to come here.”
