Professional Development
Equipping teachers to leverage our high quality STEM Learning Opportunities to engage their students, addressing the NGSS Engineering Practices, building student Career Skills, and getting kids excited about High Tech STEM Careers.
Professional Learning with Square One
Square One provides cutting edge professional development, introducing teachers to emerging STEM technologies, and equipping them to share their learning with their students. Square One programs are hands-on & project based, resulting in highly engaging programming for students. The Square One Motto has always been “We buy STEM Gear, not textbooks”. Each workshop includes an extensive hardware package, print and digital resources, ongoing technical support, and access to our network of amazing educators and industry partners.
Check our Professional Learning Landing Page for Current Offerings
Masters of Mobility
Teachers are introduced to Connected & Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) Technology, a leading edge Mobility Career Path, using Arduino-based robotic vehicles & sensors to simulate real-world CAV scenarios.
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“Masters of Mobility” is a series of two, 2-Day Workshops, designed to expose teachers and students to the Connected & Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) Technology that is a fundamental to today’s Mobility Industry.
The first session provides an introduction to Arduino micro-controller hardware and programming through the “lens” of Autonomous Vehicle Technology. The instruction begins from “Square One”, assuming that participants have no previous programming experience. By the end of the first session, teachers are able to program Arduino-based robotic vehicles to read a variety of on-board sensors, make decisions, and function autonomously.
The second session is focused on Connected Vehicle Technology, using bluetooth communication protocols to communicate between vehicles (V2V), between vehicles & infrastructure (V2I), and from vehicles to any other devices in the environment (V2X). Teachers will again use Arduino hardware and robotic vehicles, to simulate a variety of Connected Vehicle Scenarios (e.g. emergency vehicles “talking to” stoplights).
Masters of Mobility Participants leave the workshop with hardware packages valued over $1500, and are prepared to share this exciting and emerging technology with their students.
Introduction to Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV)
Educators grade 3-12, with an interest in hands-on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), build underwater robots to spark STEM interests for their students.
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Educators for 3-12 grade youth, with an interest in hands-on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines as they apply to the marine environment are invited to attend this exciting 2-day workshop that provides a truly unique educational opportunity.
Participants will receive an instruction manual, materials and support to design, engineer and build a fully functional underwater remotely operated vehicle or ROV. STEM skills and activities presented in this workshop support standards and benchmarks in science, engineering, math and technology. Each team will receive lessons, design and build a fully functional ROV complete with control box, power source, and optical system valued at over $800.
Participants pay for their own travel expense.
Intermediate Underwater ROV Workshop
Intermediate ROVs represent the next step in underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) design. Square One provides a resource to integrate a higher degree of sophistication into your ROV program.
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Workshop Overview
Square One’s intent is to provide a resource for teachers who wish to integrate a higher degree of technology and sophistication into their ROV program. Embracing the digital world requires a different thought process. Once the digital foundation is laid, a whole new avenue of motor control, communication
These workshops should be taken sequentially.
Target Participants: 3rd –
Topics
- Analog vs. Digital
- Prototyping
- Motor controller interface
- Introduction to Arduino
- Proportional Motor Control
- Adding a Human Interface (joystick)
- Controlling a robotic claw
- Sensor theory
- Passive sensors
- Serial Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
Intro to Arduino
This one day workshop is an introduction to Arduino hardware and programming for novices. Participants will build, program, and take home a scientific data logger.
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Arduino micro-controller technology provides the ability to fully customize science demonstration and data collection tools in a very affordable way.
In the workshop, participants will….
- learn about microcontrollers and programming fundamentals
- be introduced to Arduino and sensor hardware
- be introduced to Arduino programming language
- build a fully functioning data logger
- discuss applications for a variety of classroom contexts
- be empowered with this basic understanding to launch further investigations & projects with their students
The workshop is specifically designed for complete beginners, no experience necessary. Our learning will be particularly useful for teachers in Biology, Physics, Programming / Computers, Technology, Electronics and “STEM” content areas, among others. This work will also provide a very good foundation for teachers involved in the Square One Innovative Vehicle Design Challenges.
We’ll convene in SE Michigan, specific location TBD. Participants will receive:
- Lunch
- SCECHs (we’ll cover the cost)
- Data-logger hardware, hard copy resources, and access to digital resources valued over $100
Participants must bring a windows or mac laptop with the Arduino IDE installed. Anyone with special dietary needs should plan to bring their own lunch.
Modeling Mobility
Modeling in Michigan and the MiSTEM Network are partnering with the Square One Education Network to provide experienced Modelers with an engaging Problem Based Learning module called: Masters of Mobility.
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Modeling in Michigan and the MiSTEM Network are partnering with the Square One Education Network to provide experienced Modeling in Physics or Physical Science teachers with an engaging Problem Based Learning module called: Masters of Mobility.
This established Square One challenge will be woven into the Modeling in HS Physical Science framework to deploy a wave model utilizing Arduino, Bluetooth, and sensor technology in an engaging classroom challenge with a connected and autonomous vehicle theme.
What’s included?
- A detailed instructional module using Modeling pedagogy that will equip teachers with technical explanations, classroom activities and instructions on how to conduct a classroom challenge.
- Classroom set of hardware and materials for student use
- An understanding of the societal issues implied by the “mobility” revolution, the crossroads of automotive and information technology!
- Facilitated instruction in Arduino IDE and constructing a robotic vehicle system.
- A real-world deployment of wave phenomena especially as it relates to digital communication.
- New connections to STEM professionals who are contributing to the mobility revolution in Michigan.
Full Scale IVD Kickoff Workshop
In this 1/2 day workshop, students and teachers come to kick off the competitive season for our IVD Challenges. Rule changes are announced, new design challenges are introduced, and participants choose from mini technical sessions related to their IVD Project.
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Full Scale IVD Student Engineers design and build go-kart size electric vehicles to travel the furthest possible distance in timed heats. Students most focus on minimizing losses and maximizing efficiency, while learning about aerodynamic drag, rolling resistance, vehicle dynamics, and more.
Visit the Full Scale IVD Page for more information.
Mini IVD Kickoff Workshop
In this 1/2 day workshop, students and teachers come to kick off the competitive season for our IVD Challenges. Rule changes are announced, new design challenges are introduced, and participants choose from mini technical sessions related to their IVD Project.
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Mini IVD Student Engineers re-engineer high performance 1/10th scale electric RC vehicles. Students strive to maximize vehicle performance by designing and implementing a rigorous iterative test regimen. Students explore the impact had on overall vehicle performance by characteristics such as tire type & size, gear ratios, shock fluid densities, and more.
Visit the Mini IVD Racing Page for more information.
Autonomous IVD Kickoff Workshop
In this 1/2 day workshop, students and teachers come to kick off the competitive season for our IVD Challenges. Rule changes are announced, new design challenges are introduced, and participants choose from mini technical sessions related to their IVD Project
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Autonomous IVD Student Engineers re-engineer a toddler PowerWheels Jeep to function as an autonomous vehicle, capable of parallel parking, lane following, collision avoidance, platooning, and more. Students install hardware and program AIVD vehicles to mimic the functionality of Connected & Autonomous Vehicles in today’s marketplace.
Visit the Autonomous IVD Page for more information.