Lego Education is about to release its second version of its STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) robotics kit, WeDo 2.0, with the aim of them becoming part of a school’s curriculum
Lego Education, whose MD Dr René Lydiksen previously spoke to Siliconrepublic.com, is Lego’s division that aims to use its products to promote STEM education amongst kids, with the WeDo 2.0 now set to be its flagship product.
Similar to its first outing, according to TechCrunch, the kit will come with the traditional Lego bricks, but will also feature a number of internet of things (IoT) related technologies, such as a Bluetooth low-energy connection to a working motor.
Guided by a set of instructions to create a basic kit, which will include motion and tilt sensors, a child with access to WeDo 2.0 will then be able to code and edit what their creation can do using Lego’s own basic coding software, largely geared towards a drag-and-drop interface.
One of the WeDo 2.0 kits being offered by Lego Education. Image via Lego Education
Some of the first kits expected to be released when it is released to schools will be a small truck that will teach kids how to build it while explaining the concepts of recycling, as well as a kit that can teach kids about the science of pollination among plants.
Lego says that aside from the kits themselves, it plans to offer 40 hours of lessons – that would cost a typical classroom the rather princely sum of $2,000 (€1,860) if they wanted to give one to each pupil.
Starting today (5 January), Lego’s coding software has been made available on both desktop PCs and Macs, as well as iPads and Android tablets, with a Chromebook version due later this year.
Student using Lego Education software image via Pioneer Library Systems/Flickr
