Six High School students from TAISM attend the VEX Robotics World Championship (April 24-May 5) in Dallas, Texas, becoming the first team from the sultanate to attend the prestigious event

This year, for the very first time, the largest robotics championship in the world welcomed a team from the Sultanate of Oman – Six High School students of The American International School of Muscat.

TAISM’s VEX Robotics Competition team was made of high school students passionate about technology, robotics and computer science. The group worked together to design, build, and programme a robot that could quickly and efficiently solve specific challenges.

The VEX Robotics Competition prepares students to become future innovators with a great majority of participants reporting an increased interest in STEM subject areas and pursuing STEM-related careers in future. Tournaments are held year-round at the regional, state, and national levels and culminate at the VEX Robotics World Championship in April every year.

“As an experienced robotics mentor, I’ve seen firsthand the engineering skill and leadership expertise that students gain by participating in the VEX Robotics Competition,” says Dan Mantz, CEO of The Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation which manages the VEX Robotics Competition. “It’s an experience that will stay with them long after their school days are over, offering a new appreciation for STEM and laying a strong foundation of critical problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.”

At TAISM, students apply what they’ve learned about STEM in the classroom every week to build semi-autonomous machines. An equally important set of skills is learned through the competition, like communication, project management, time management, and teamwork.

TAISM’s Robotics team meets after school wherein students learn about electronics, programming, mechanical systems, animation, 3D CAD, computer-aided machining, web design, and materials fabrication.

Jason Tiefel, Computer Science Teacher at TAISM who has been spearheading Robotics Education in the school, said, “Competing at the Vex Robotics World Championship is a monumental achievement, especially for a first year team, and I could not be more proud of the students for their skills, grit and determination.

“Vex matches require teams to strategise with partner teams that they just met, so the social skills are as important as the engineering and programming skills. The TAISM students faced all challenges with the calm, collaborative approach of a much more seasoned team. What is most exciting is that all they’ve achieved this year is just a first step in building a community of robotics in Oman.”

“Since 1998, our mission has been to develop ethical, responsible, and globally conscious life-long learners,” added Kevin Schafer, director at TAISM. “Robotics education is just one part of our duty to prepare students for jobs that do not yet exist, and to teach them to adapt and lead in an ever-changing world. We look forward to engaging with education partners here in Oman as we lead the way in building a hub for Robotics events, learning and competitions in the sultanate.”

(TAISM has organised an open house for other schools to participate on May 29. Interested schools may contact TAISM to attend this open house as well as other collaborative events by emailing [email protected])

Jason Teifel, advisor TAISM Robotics Club, shares key insights on Robotics education:

What is your opinion about robotics education in shaping young minds and preparing them to think critically, strategise and solve problems, which would be helpful in their careers?

I do think all schools, to the extent that they are able, should offer robotics opportunities to their students. While robotics does foster a certain kind of critical thinking, collaboration and problem solving that can be useful in future career paths, I am personally passionate about supporting it for two reasons – it brings joy and provides another space for students to find others with similar interests. Our school offers many opportunities for students to find a sense of belonging – the football pitch, art studios, black box theater, science labs, etc. A robotics programme will find those students that may not have other platforms to shine, and I can’t think of a more important reason than that to invest our time, attention and money.

What role could TAISM play in propagating Robotics Education in other schools in the sultanate and in facilitating competitions and extra-curricular interactions among the student community?

TAISM is looking to create a community around robotics competition in Oman and beyond. We are the event partner for Vex Robotics in Oman, which brings a responsibility to lead the charge in supporting schools to get teams started. We are planning to host events that will allow our students to connect and collaborate with others beyond their school walls. Our first goal is to host a tournament for the 2023-2024 season that would qualify a team to travel to the Vex Robotics World Championship in Dallas, TX. Our team attended the worlds this year, as the first team from Oman to enter the competition, and we are ready to share our knowledge to help create the next phase of competition.