This hands-on workshop supports teachers to deliver authentic Design and Digital Technologies projects through the design, manufacture and programming of a WiFi-enabled robot.
Participants will work with the eBot Micro using the ScratchLink Robotics platform, developed by a Queensland STEM educator. Teachers will explore how students can design and produce a functional robot using pre-soldered electronics and 3D printed components. The session emphasises materials, manufacturing processes and iterative prototyping, with opportunities to adapt designs for different classroom contexts and resource levels.
Teachers will assemble a robot and investigate multiple implementation pathways, including student-designed chassis using CAD and 3D printing, hybrid approaches using reusable electronic components, and low-cost take-home models. The workshop highlights how design decisions influence performance, usability and sustainability.
Participants will connect to the robot using standard devices (laptops, tablets or mobile phones) and explore systems thinking through real-time control interfaces. This provides an accessible entry point with no coding required, before extending into block-based programming to develop computational thinking and control systems.
The session also introduces free structured learning resources and a browser-based robot simulator, enabling implementation without requiring full hardware access for every student. Strategies for differentiation, classroom management and scaling across year levels will be included.
By the end of the workshop, teachers will have designed, assembled and programmed a robot, and gained practical strategies to implement engaging, curriculum-aligned projects integrating design processes, manufacturing and digital systems.