WHAT WE DO
Kiwibots engage young New Zealanders in robotics through events and education programmes.
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To empower the future of creative problem-solvers in a technological based world, we need to create well-rounded individuals that have confidence with tech, soft skills, and are willing to be curious and learn.
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Kiwibots distribute VEX Robotics across NZ to schools, competitive teams, extra-curricular groups and more. Unlike other software and coding-based education, we encourage students to create physical results with robotics. The gamification of learning creates a more engaging experience while also encouraging teamwork, collaboration, and out-of-the box thinking - teaching our young New Zealanders a variety of life skills.
Run by volunteers, the organisation puts on local events for teams to compete with their robot (scrimmages). Each year, a National Championship is held for VEX IQ and VEX VRC where teams compete to determine who will represent NZ at the World Championships held in the USA.
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Beyond the competitions, Kiwibots adapts the VEX curriculum offerings to map against our own NZ Education Curriculum. This allows teachers to best find ways to integrate robotics into the classroom, creating an opportunity for students who may otherwise never have been exposed to robotics before.
VEX in Schools
Providing the tools to help your students succeed
As "STEM" becomes more of a buzzword in education, it can be difficult to know where to start with incorporating more STEM into learning. More schools are adopting robotics as a platform to enrich and enhance STEM education, teachers need a program that allows them to seamlessly integrate curriculum and hardware into the classroom.
These aren't just for the experts either, many novices are dabbling with robotics and providing a great example of play-based learning, experimentation and problem-solving.
Never taught robotics? No problem!
VEX have worked with various industry-leading partners to create an array of VEX curriculum offerings, each tailored to the specific needs of teachers. Each offering was developed by forward thinking organisations who are experienced at creating tools to keep STEM education exciting, engaging and inspiring.
Kiwibots have worked with VEX to map the programme against the NZ Teaching Curriculum to help with a seamless integration into your programme.
The curriculum is a completely free companion to the VEX IQ platform. It offers 12 flexible units of instruction that can be used in sequence or as standalone lessons - handy for places that need more flexibility in their integration.
Project-based units introduce proper engineering practices from an early age, while maintaining the fun and excitement that comes from building and coding with VEX IQ.
The US-based VEX IQ education website includes lessons plans with teacher keys and supporting YouTube videos, and covers all 12 units, and serves as a great springboard for students to be involved with the VEX IQ Challenge.
Kiwibots run a nationwide championship at the VEX IQ level in Nov/Dec of each year - a great event that is the highlight of learning for many of our primary and intermediate students.