Lego makes problem solving child’s play Stephen Taylor steve@baysidenews.com.au LEGO’S gone hi-tech. The once basic building blocks have joined the computer age and children are revelling in the challenges the toy offers them. Two men – Ben Willmott, of Cheltenham and Jeff Harris, formerly of Mordialloc – became aware of the potential for children to enjoy advanced Lego computer engineering about three months ago and have tapped into its potential. They now run Lego Mindstorms EV3 techcamps on weekends and over school holidays at Shirley Burke Theatre, Parkers Rd, Parkdale. The techcamps – not real camps but team events for 8-12 year olds – provide a structured sequence of programming activities in real-world project-based contexts. A ‘learn by doing’ approach is at the core of all their programs and workshops. The projects are designed to get students thinking about the patterns and structures of not just robotics, but also programming and problemsolving generally. Working in teams of two, and sharing a Lego Mindstorms EV3 Robotics kit and a computer, children are in-
troduced to core computer programming logic and reasoning skills in a robotics engineering context. They work through a sequence of mini projects - plus a capstone challenge – using the technology “but there’s a place for good old teamwork there, too,” said Mr Willmott, who has a technology-based consulting background. “By the end of the Techcamp, students should be better thinkers, not just coders, having learned software, problem solving and project management skills. “Once they have learned the basics they can join our term time robotics club where they will be given a new challenge to solve each week using Lego Robotics.” Despite its scientific and engineering focus, the real reason many children attend is because they want to have fun. It’s just play to many who probably don’t even realise they are learning advanced skills vital to senior school and university studies. About 20 students attended last week’s techcamp where they became familiar with motors, gyros, sensors and touch screens. “Certain types of kids are attracted to this but, generally, we have a
Team approach helps mentally ill
Look what we did: Lego Tech at Parkdale allows Nick and Blake to learn while having fun. Picture: Gary Sissons
broad mix,” Mr Willmott said. “Often it suits those with Aspergers [syndrome] or autism because of their abilities to concentrate.” Whatever the reason, all the kids
seem to be loving it. Also see the ‘What’s On’ section at kingston.vic.gov.au for details of other school holidays activities in Kingston.
KINGSTON police are taking part in Operation Pacer, which offers those suffering mental health issues a more streamlined service - without tying up police resources. Police Ambulance Crisis Emergency Response is a mobile unit that provides support to police dealing with the mentally ill. Kingston, Bayside and Glen Eira are participating. The service combines the capacity and experience of a police member with the skills and knowledge of a mental health clinician. In their role, the clinician can attend to specific incidents and assess, treat and accompany to hospital those deemed in need of treatment. Sergeant Lisa Prince said the introduction of Pacer units had led to “better results all round”. “It’s more compassionate where we help each other. The prospects of a safe outcome are heightened while police can more easily get back on the road – without being stuck in hospital.” The multi-agency approach has been trialled successfully across the state. Police on the Mornington Peninsula are also involved with Operation Pacer. “The clinicians are a valuable resource for frontline police and the outcomes for the community are life-changing,” Inspector Karen Nyholm said.
Wedge report ‘a waste of money’ Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au A NEW report on Kingston’s Green Wedge has been called a waste of ratepayers’ money after councillors decided to press ahead with a contentious report to investigate the possibility of rezoning part of Kingston’s Green Wedge. Earlier this year, a narrow majority of councillors voted to hire a consultant to advise whether land – located between Kingston and Heatherton roads and Lower Dandenong Road and on the eastern side of Tootal Rd in Dingley Village – could be rezoned to a Rural Living Zone. The minimum lot size in a RLZ is 2000 square metres, effectively opening up any rezoned green wedge land to residential development. Council spent $340,000 on a Kingston Green Wedge Plan report by consultants Planisphere in 2012 and will now spend an additional $164,000 on a further re-
port from consultants Meinhardts. The Planisphere report did not recommend that the green wedge land to be looked at again be rezoned. At Monday evening’s council meeting, Cr Steve Staikos said the new report “is a waste of money”. “Council will outsource the production of a useless report that will have very little or no weight to government,” he said. The incoming Labor state government will ultimately determine whether the stipulated green wedge land can be rezoned to RLZ. Cr Rosemary West said Labor had “promised to lock down the boundaries of the Green Wedge” so it is unlikely the government would support “subdividing” land in the Green Wedge. “Before we spend $164,000 we should at least speak to the government and see whether this has any chance of success.” Cr Ron Brownlees said the Meinhardt’s report may make the Labor state
government reconsider its pre-election policy. “If [the new government] see the report it may well say to them: ‘Gee whiz, there are some options here’ so let’s not close them out.” At a council meeting in July, Cr Rosemary West queried how much the report would cost. Council city strategy manager Jonathan Guttman said at the time that “it’s very appropriate in this instance to market test the cost of this work”. “We would seek an expression of interest. I don’t have any way of quantifying the cost at this stage. We will prepare a brief, seek market interest and we can advise council then accordingly of the cost,” Mr Guttman said in July. At Monday evening’s meeting, sustainable planning general manager Rachel Hornsby said “it’s not possible for [council] officers to say how much something will cost until something is signed.” Cr West expressed disappointment
that councillors were not informed of the report cost before the contract was signed on 8 December. “I’ve been told by an officer that when tenders came in we would be informed of the cost,” she said. “It was only this week, with officers on the brink of signing the contract, that we learned that the work would cost $164,000.” Council declined to divulge any ballpark figures for additional Green Wedge report costs when asked by The News earlier this year. Crs Tamsin Bearsley, Brownlees, Geoff Gledhill, Paul Peulich and John Ronke backed the production of the report from Meinhardt’s. Crs Tamara Barth, David Eden, Staikos and West opposed the move. Kingston mayor Cr Geoff Gledhill said council has made contact with the newly elected Labor state government to seek meetings with ministers. Labor’s Richard Wynne has succeeded
former Coalition government minister Matthew Guy as the state planning minister after Labor won government at last month’s state election. Cr Gledhill told The News “councillors had been involved in discussions about the report, which included the indicative costs of the project. “Council could have requested a report come back to a full council meeting for further approval, but this would have added to the project timelines. Instead, at the July meeting officers were directed to proceed as the expected costs were well within the officer delegation allowed.” Cr West said “council is planning to spend nearly half as much again [$164,000], after spending $340,000 on the Kingston Green Wedge Plan, to undermine the Green Wedge Plan’s recommendations with no benefit to anyone with anyone except a small group of landowners who can expect windfall gains”.
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Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News 17 December 2014
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