US electronics startup littleBits has unveiled the ‘STEAM Student Set’, a kit designed to facilitate invention-based learning for primary school students.
The kit contains numerous parts such as LEDs, light and temperature sensors, servos and motors, and also includes guides for students and teachers, providing instructions for specific projects to augment existing STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art/design and mathematics) curricula.
Software duties are handled by the cloudBit development platform, which includes an open API, allowing for a high level of customisation.
The company can also create customised kits for teachers’ individual requirements for their classes.
These projects provide the students with learning experiences throughout the creation process. For example, building the self-driving vehicle will teach students about motion and stability.
According to the company, teachers will not require advanced knowledge of electronics to teach with the kit, as the ‘littleBits Invention Cycle’ provides a framework for approaching the engineering design process that is both student and teacher-friendly.
“Our goal for the littleBits STEAM Student Set is to inspire students to fall in love with STEAM the same way I did, and to gain the 21st-century skillsets and mindsets that will help these future leaders shape the world and prepare for careers that haven’t even been invented yet," Ayah Bdeir, CEO and founder of littleBits said in a blog post.
Pre-orders of the kit are available on their website, with delivery commencing from the 22nd of April.