Ikhithi kulapho siqala khona.Asikho apho siphelela khona.
Phantse lonke iklasi yokubhala ikhowudi neerobhothi iqala ngendlela efanayo, kwaye kufanele: ibhokisi yamalungu, umfanekiso, kunye nomntwana ongazange enze umatshini uhambe esenza ukuba uhambe. Loo mzuzu ufanele ukuhlawulelwa.
Umbuzo ofanelekileyo ukubuzwa ngulo uza emva koko — kunyaka wesibini, nakowesihlanu. Nantsi imibuzo emithandathu onokuyibuza kuyo nayiphi na inkqubo, kubandakanywa nale, nendlela esiyiphendula ngayo.
Okokuqala, ukukhusela ibhokisi
Ikhithi yindlela entle kakhulu yokuqalisa. Isusa izigqibo ezingamashumi amabini ebezinokunqanda umntwana oneminyaka esixhenxe ngaphambi kokuba aqale, ayoyisi kakhulu, kwaye inika umntwana into egqityiweyo anokuyiphatha aye nayo emotweni. Sisebenzisa iikhithi. Sithenga ezilungileyo, kwaye ibhodi yethu yenzelwe ukuba ihlangane nazo.
Into ikhithi engenakuyenza kukhula. Isikhokelo sokwakha sinekhasi lokugqibela. Imodeli ehambelana nomfanekiso iyadilizwa ekupheleni kwekota, kwaye isakhono esize nayo yaba kukukwazi ukulandela eso sikhokelo. Phakathi kwebhokisi yokuqala nomntu omtsha osemtsha onokwenza umatshini enze into ekungekho mntu uyibhalileyo imiyalelo yayo, umsebenzi kufuneka utshintshe imo.
Ikhithi sisivakalisi sokuqala esihle. Asiyo kharityhulam.
Imibuzo emithandathu efanelekileyo ukubuzwa
Yibuze apha. Yibuze naphi na. Inkqubo eyenza into yokwenene iya kukwazi ukukubonisa, hayi ukukuxelela nje kuphela.
Ndingayibona ikhowudi?
Iibhloko zisincedi sokufunda, asiyondawo yokugqibela. Uvavanyo kukuba ngaba umntwana angayibona na into iibhloko zakhe eziye zaba yiyo ngokwenene — nokuba ngaba loo mbhalo yinto esebenza kumatshini, okanye ngumhombiso oshicilelweyo ecaleni kwayo.
Kwibhodi ye-sheenbot yonke inkqubo yeebhloko ikwayinkqubo yokwenene ye-MicroPython, ngonqakrazo olunye kuphela kwi-Code Preview. Umntwana unokuyifunda, ayihlele ngesandla, afake inguqulelo yakhe ehleliweyo endaweni yoko, kwaye ayikhuphele njengefayile ye-.py enegama leprojekthi yakhe. Sikwasebenzela ukuyigcina imfutshane ngokwaneleyo ukuba ifanele ukufundwa: xa umqhubi we-buzzer waya kwi-firmware yebhodi, i-Python emva kwenkqubo yomculo yeebhloko ezisibhozo yehla ukusuka kwimigca emalunga nama-210 ukuya kutsho malunga ne-10.
Ziqinisekise ngokwakho: Vula umhleli ngaphandle kweakhawunti nangaphandle kwe-hardware, yakha iibhloko ezintathu, uze ucinezele iqhosha lekhowudi.
Yeyabani i-hardware?
Ukuba inkqubo ayikwazi ukukuxelela okukwibhodi, ayikwazi nokufundisa okukwibhodi — kwaye imodyuli evaliweyo eneprothokholi engabhalwanga yibhokisi emnyama enesiciko esihle.
Siyila kwaye sizakhele eyethu i-hardware ye-sheenbot∞ ne-sheenbot π kunokuba sithengise eyomnye umntu. I-∞ isebenzisa i-Espressif ESP32, i-π isebenzisa i-ESP32-S3 — iintsapho zesilicon ezifanayo nezihlala ngaphakathi kwiimveliso zorhwebo. Izibuko ze-P0–P20 zipapashwe ngokuchasene namanani azo okwenene e-GPIO, kubandakanywa ukuba zeziphi ezimbini ezingenisa kuphela kwaye zeziphi ezimbini ezinokukhupha ivoltheji ye-analogue yokwenene. Amalungu ngamacandelo aqhelekileyo anamaxwebhu olwazi asesidlangalaleni — inzwa yomgama yelaser ye-VL53L0X, inzwa yombala ye-VEML6040 kwidilesi 0x10, i-DHT11, i-HC-SR04 — ngaphezulu kwamashumi amane kubo adweliswe nento ayilinganisayo nendlela aqhagamshelwe ngayo.
Ziqinisekise ngokwakho: Ilayibrari epheleleyo yamalungu — imodeli ye-3D ejikelezayo kunye neenkcukacha zenxalenye nganye — ifumaneka esidlangalaleni kule sayithi.
Ingaba ikhona into ephumayo egumbini?
Iprojekthi esebenza kuphela etafileni yegumbi lokufundela ngala mini ngumboniso. Iprojekthi esaqhubeka isebenza ngoLwesine, apho omnye umntu anokuyivula, yisixokelelwano — kwaye ukwakha isixokelelwano sisakhono esahlukileyo ekwakheni imodeli.
Xa ibhodi apha ipapasha into eyifundileyo, iya kwi-broker yokwenene ye-MQTT kwizihloko zokwenene, zithwalwa ziiseva zethu ezinqamlezayo eKapa naseTshayina. Imithetho ye-othomathiki umfundi ayiphawula njengeqhubekayo isebenza kuloo seva, hayi kwithebhu yesikhangeli, ngoko ke iyaqhubeka isebenza emva kokuba ilaptop ivaliwe kwaye iyaphinda ilayishwe emva kokuba iseva iqalise phantsi. Isibane sokuba kwi-intanethi sedeshibhodi yinyani hayi nje oopopayi: ibhodi iyazazisa xa iqhagamshela, i-broker iyazisa ukuba ayikho kwi-intanethi ukuba unxibelelwano luyaphela, kwaye ibhodi ethe cwaka ivalwa emva kwemizuzu emihlanu. Umfundi unokunika ideshibhodi ephilayo kuye nabani na njengekhonkco — akukho akhawunti, akukho app — kwaye ukhetha ukuba ababukeli banokubukela kuphela okanye banokucofa namaqhosha.
Ziqinisekise ngokwakho: Iideshibhodi ezilishumi elinesithathu kwiphepha lethu le-sheenIoT zayilwa kwaye zaqhagamshelwa ngabafundi apha.
Kwenzeka ntoni xa umntwana wam ebambekile?
Lo ngumbuzo ogqiba yonke into, kwaye ngowona uphendulwa kakubi ngokulula. Umncedisi onikezela ngenkqubo egqityiweyo uthathe indawo yesifundo ngenkonzo yokuhambisa izinto.
Imithetho yokufundisa umncedisi wethu wekhowudi asebenza ngayo iqala ngokumxelela: “UNGUMFUNDISI, HAYI UMSONBULULI.” Uncedo lufika ngamanqanaba amathathu — kuqala indawo yenkqubo ekufuneka ijongwe, emva koko ibhloko ekrokrelwayo nesizathu, kwaye kuphela emva koko utshintsho — kwaye xa umntwana etshilo apho acinga ukuba ingxaki ikhona, iseva yethu isusa naluphi na ulungiso oluziswe yimodeli ize ibenze baqhubeke becinga. Xa isakha into, ishiya izikhewu ezicetyiweyo ukusuka kwesinye ukuya kwezine ukuze umntwana azizalise kwaye iphetha ngokubacela ukuba bacacise ibhloko. Ayisayi kuze ngokuthe cwaka itshintshe izibuko ucingo olufakwe kulo; kufuneka itsho ukuba icinga ukuba izinto ezimbini ziyangqubana ize ithumele umntwana ukuba ajonge ibhodi.
Ziqinisekise ngokwakho: Umntwana ofuna ngokwenene inkqubo egqityiweyo usenokuyicela. Sibenza bacinge kuqala; asibabambisi.
Kwiminyaka emihlanu ekhona, umntwana wam wenza ntoni ngokwenene?
Yonke inkqubo ibonakala ifana kwikota yokuqala. Umahluko uvela xa umntwana sele eyakhile irobhothi enamavili, isibane sendlela kunye nesiphepha-miqobo, aze abuze ukuba yintoni elandelayo.
Indlela enye ukusuka kwiminyaka emi-6 ukuya kweli-18, kumanqanaba amathathu eminyaka. I-Intro yakha ngezitena, imiqadi, iigiya kunye neeleva. I-Junior idlulela kwi-sheenbot∞ ene-Tinker Kit kunye namalungu e-LEGO®, nasezinzwaneni zokukhanya, ubushushu, ukufuma kunye nomgama. I-Explorer isebenza kwi-MicroPython ebhalwayo kunye neebhloko, yenza iibhodi zithethe zodwa ngerediyo nasedeshibhodi ephilayo nge-Wi-Fi ne-MQTT, kwaye igqibezela kwisixokelelwano esiqhagamshelweyo abanye abantu abanokusisebenzisa ngokwenene. Umntwana oqala kwi-Intro ufika kuloo mgca sele enala manqanaba mabini angaphambili emva kwakhe.
Ziqinisekise ngokwakho: Ikhosi yethu ye-Pixel Arcade yimo yesiphelo: izifundo ezingama-36, iiyunithi ezintandathu, imidlalo esibhozo egqityiweyo kwi-Python ebhalwayo — imigca engama-28 kwisifundo sokuqala, eyi-158 kwisifundo sama-34, ngumntwana omnye.
Ngubani othi ilungile, ngaphandle kwakho?
Isatifikethi esiprintwe ngabantu abathathe imali singqina kuphela ukuba ubukhona. Kubalulekile ukubuza ukuba yintoni kule nkqubo egwetywa ngumntu ongenanzuzo kwimpendulo leyo.
Amaqela ethu angenela i-FIRST® LEGO® League Explore kunye ne-Challenge kwaye sakha iqela le-FIRST® Tech Challenge — elijongwa kwirejiyoni ye-FIRST South Africa eNtshona Koloni ngokweencwadi zemithetho ezingabhalwanga sithi, lijongwa ngabagwebi abangasebenzeli thina, kukho iifayinali zesizwe eRhawutini kumaqela aphumeleleyo. Ngaphakathi eqongeni le nkqubo isebenza ngendlela efanayo apho sinakho: ukuzama umsebenzi we-hydroponics kuphindwa kudlalwe kwiseva yethu kusetyenziswa imithetho efanayo yefiziksi umfundi ebedlala phantsi kwayo, ukuze impumelelo ibe yinto engqinwe ngumatshini hayi into ethethwa ngumntwana kuphela. Isatifikethi ngasinye esisikhuphe sineenombolo, kwaye iphepha likawonkewonke liqinisekisa ukuba le nombolo yeyokwenyani ngaphandle kokungena ngelogin.
Ziqinisekise ngokwakho: Nabani na unokukhangela inombolo yesatifikethi kule sayithi — umzali, isikolo, okanye nabani na umnini wayo ambonisa yona.
Eyona nto inyanisekileyo esinokukubonisa yona yinto esiyicimileyo
Le sayithi yayifudula ibhengeza iiklasi zethu ezintathu zeveki njengezifundo eziyi-12, 24 kunye ne-48. Yayifundeka kamnandi. Yayikwangu, xa uyijonga ngocoselelo, ubuvuvu: ezo zaziizinani zeemodeli ezikwikiti yomthengisi iqela ngalinye lobudala elalizisebenzisa. Yayingesiso isilabhasi. Yayiluluhlu lwezinto ezipakishiweyo.
Ubalo lwezifundo lukwaphakamisa kanye loo mbuzo singafuniyo ukuba umzali awubuze — “kwaye emva koko kuza ntoni?” Ngoko ke sazisusa ezi nombolo. Iklasi apha ibandakanya iqela leminyaka yobudala, hayi isilabhasi enephepha lokugqibela: ikhithi eyahlukileyo nekhosi eyahlukileyo kwikota nganye, logama nje umntwana esafumana okuthile kuyo, ihlawulwa ngesifundo ngasinye, inyanga nenyanga.
Sikukhankanya oku kuba yingxoxo efanayo eyenziwa leli phepha lonke, kwaye eyona ndawo ilula yokuyivavanya yaba kwizibhalo zethu.
Kuthetha ntoni ukuthi “ukwenza ngezandla” apha, ngokukodwa
Asingomoya nje. Zizinto ezintandathu ezenziwa ngumntwana ngezandla apha.
Khetha i-port, kwaye wenze impazamo ngayo
I-ports ezilishumi elinesine, kwaye azitshintshiselani. Esinye isibini siphethe i-I²C bus, ezimbini ziphethe i-serial. Ukhetha engalunganga kwaye inzwa (sensor) ayifundi nto — nto leyo esisifundo, hayi impazamo.
Yazi ukuba yintoni ekwintambo
I-Pin 1 ngumbane (power), i-pin 2 ngumhlaba (ground), i-pins 3 kunye ne-4 yimiqondiso (signals) ethiywe yikhowudi yakho. Akukho mfuneko yakuyinkqaya; wonke umntu ugqibela eyazi.
Dibana nengxabano yokwenyani
I-I²C bus enye yabelwa isikrini, inzwa yentshukumo (motion sensor), isifundi sekhadi kunye nenzwa yombala (colour sensor). Isitishi semoto kunye ne-buzzer banokufuna i-pin enye. Ukufunda ukuba izinto ezimbini azikwazi ukusebenzisa intambo enye ngexesha linye bubunjineli.
Faka i-firmware ebhodini
Ifakwa (flashed) ukusuka kwiphepha lewebhu kwibhrawuza. Ibhodi iqhuba i-watchdog, ibhale i-crash log enokufundwa ngutitshala nge-Bluetooth, kwaye ihlaziywe ngomoya (over the air) kwindawo esecaleni ukuze uhlaziyo olusileleyo lungayoni ibhodi ngokupheleleyo.
Bukela unomathotholo (radio) esilela
Iibhodi ezimbini zithetha ngqo enye kwenye ngaphandle kwe-router — de enye yazo idibane ne-Wi-Fi, nto leyo etsalela unomathotholo wayo kwisitishi sendawo yokungena (access point) baze bobabini bangevani. Sikwenza oku ngabom kwi-simulator endaweni yokukufihla.
Yenza into ngentsimbi kunye neplastiki
Ukufikelela simahla kwilebhu yabenzi kwikhampasi — ii-3D printer kunye noomatshini be-CNC — kwiiprojekthi ezidinga icandelo elingathengiswiyo ndawo. Hayi irobhothi ye-FIRST® LEGO® League: olo gqatso luvumela kuphela izinto ze-LEGO®, kwaye siqeqesha ngokwencwadi yemithetho.
Apho izitena zingena khona
Akukho nanye kule nto echasene ne-LEGO®. Siziqhuba amaqela e-FIRST® LEGO® League, kwaye iirobhothi ze-FLL zakhiwe ngezinto ze-LEGO® ezivumelekileyo kuphela — ngokomthetho, kwaye siqeqesha ngokwaloo mthetho. Umntwana oneminyaka elithoba ochitha isizini kwirobhothi ye-FLL kunye neprojekthi yokuqamba wenza enye yezona zinto zibalaseleyo ezinokwenziwa ngumntwana oneminyaka elithoba naphi na.
Isitena asizange sibe yingxaki. Ukuphelela kuso yiyo ingxaki. Isayithi sele iyibeka ngendlela eyiyo: uhambo olunye ukusuka kwizitena ze-LEGO® ukuya kubunjineli bokwenyani, apho isigaba ngasinye silungiselela umntwana kwisigaba esilandelayo — nalapho isigaba esilandelayo emva kwe-FLL sichazwa ngamazwi ethu njengenyathelo elingaphaya kwe-LEGO®: izakhelo zentsimbi, iinxalenye eziyilwe nge-CAD, ikhowudi ye-Java kunye nenkqubo yobunjineli ebhalwe phantsi.
Kwixesha lonyaka le-2026 Sheen Academy ihlawulela zonke iindleko ze-FIRST® LEGO® League — ubhaliso, izixhobo kunye noqeqesho — ngaphandle kweendleko ezongezelelweyo kwiintsapho ezibhalisileyo; uhambo oluya kwiifayinali zesizwe lucwangciswa kwaye luxoxwe ngeendleko nabazali bawo nawaphi na amaqela aphumeleleyo. Iqela le-FIRST® Tech Challenge liyi-R11 500 ngomfundi ngamnye kwisizini epheleleyo kwaye livulelekile kubafundi abavela ngaphandle kwaleyo akhademi.
Asichasanga ibhokisi. Sichasene nokuba ibhokisi ibe sisiphelo sako konke.
Ileyibhile enye, amanyathelo amane
Akukho nto apha esisikolo esahlukileyo. Ngumntwana omnye, kamva.
- 1Yenze ishukumeIzitena, imiqadi, iigiya kunye nee-levers; amakhadi ekhowudi kunye neebhloko ezilula ezisesikrinini. Umatshini oshukumayo kuba uthathe isigqibo sokuba wenze njalo.
- 2Yenze iveI-sheenbot∞ ene-Tinker Kit kunye nezahlulo ze-LEGO®. Ukukhanya, ubushushu, ukufuma kunye nomgama. Isixhobo esikrelekrele esiyilwe ngumntwana ngokwakhe.
- 3Yenze ithetheI-MicroPython echwetheziweyo ecaleni kweebhloko. Unomathotholo webhodi-ukuya-kwibhodi, i-Wi-Fi kunye ne-MQTT kwideshibhodi ephilayo. Inkqubo edityanisiweyo enokusetyenziswa ngabanye abantu.
- 4Yenze ibalulekeIsizini egwetywa ngabantu ongabaziyo: i-FIRST® LEGO® League Explore kunye ne-Challenge, emva koko iqela le-FIRST® Tech Challenge — intsimbi, i-CAD kunye nenkqubo yobunjineli ebhalwe phantsi.
Ecaleni kweleyibhile kukho iimodyuli ezizodwa — ikota yezifundo ezisibhozo ze-Internet of Things, izifundo ezingama-20 ze-Math in Motion, izifundo ezili-12 zolwazi lwezemali kwi-Market Makers kunye nezili-12 zokuqhuba ifama encinci ye-hydroponic njengeshishini kwi-Cash Crop — ukuze ikhowudi ifundiswe ngento ethile, hayi ngokwayo kuphela. Ezo nani zezokwenyani: ikhosi enobude obusisigxina yikota yento ethile, eyinto eyahlukileyo kwiklasi yeveki enephepha lokugqibela.
Izinto ezine esingazukukuxelela zona
Iphepha elinjengeli kulapho ezi zinto zine zidla ngokuthethwa khona. Singathanda ukuba wazi ukuba sizishiye ngabom.
- Asizukukuxelela ukuba umntwana wakho uza kuphumelela nantoni na. Singene kwi-ecosystem ye-FIRST® ngo-2026. Siza kukuxelela ngezinto esizifakayo — iindleko zesizini esizihlawulayo, iiyure, izihlalo — kodwa asisoze sitsho ukuba kuza kuphuma ntoni.
- Asizukukuxelela ukuba nayiphi na enye inkqubo eKapa yimbi kakhulu. Asizange sihlale kwiiklasi zabo, ngoko ke asinanto yakuthetha ngabo. Yiloo nto le mibuzo mithandathu yenzelwe yona.
- Asizukukuxelela ukuba sisebenza noluhlu lwezikolo ezidumileyo. Into esinokukuxelela yona kukuba abafundi abangaphezulu kwe-130, abasuka kwizikolo kulo lonke elaseKapa, badlulile kwikhampasi yase-Century City.
- Asizukukuxelela ukuba umncedisi akaze anike mpendulo. Umntwana ocela inkqubo egqityiweyo uyayifumana. Into esiyiyilileyo yindlela yokusebenza eqhelekileyo, kwaye ngokwesiqhelo iyafundisa.
Imibuzo esidla ngokubuzwa yona
U. Ingaba i-block coding kukubhala iikhowudi kokwenyani?
Ewe — kwaye eqongeni lethu yeyona nkqubo ifanayo ncam. Ii-blocks zisusa ukuchwetheza nopelo kwisigaba apho ezi zinto zingumqobo, hayi eyona njongo. Eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukuba umntwana uyakwazi na ukubona ngaphaya kwee-blocks ukuya kwisicatshulwa, aze adlulele kuso xa esele ekulungele. Apha lilo elinye iqhosha, isicatshulwa siyi-MicroPython yokwenyani, kwaye banokuyihlela baze bayilayishe ngesandla.
U. Umntwana wam sele ezenzile iminyaka emibini okanye emithathu yerobhothiki kwenye indawo. Ingaba oku kuza kuyiphinda?
Yiza uzibonele ngokulula: iklasi yovavanyo isimahla kwaye yeyomntu siqu, kwaye simfaka umntwana ngokwezinto anokuzenza kunokujonga ubudala kuphela. Abantwana abafika beneminyaka embalwa benamava badla ngokungena kwi-Junior okanye i-Explorer, apho umsebenzi ungoluvo lwezivamisi (sensors), unomathotholo, i-Wi-Fi, iideshibhodi ze-MQTT kunye ne-Python echwetheziweyo kunokuba baphinde benze enye i-chassis.
U. Kufuneka sithenge ikhithi okanye ilaptop?
Hayi. Iilaptop, iikhithi zerobhothiki, isoftwe kunye nezixhobo zezamaziko, zeeklasi zeeveki ngeeveki, iikampu zeeholide kunye namaqela okhuphiswano ngokufanayo — kwiqela lokhuphiswano ikhithi yerobhothi ihlala nathi kwaye abazali abaze bathenge izincedisi zekhompyutha. Imirhumo yi-R280 ngeklasi, R1,120 ngenyanga, inyanga nenyanga, ngaphandle kwemali yobhaliso.
U. Ingaba oku kwenzelwe kuphela abantwana abafuna ukuba ziinjineli?
Hayi, kwaye iimodyuli ezizodwa bubungqina baloo nto. I-Math in Motion yenza umbono omnye wezibalo ubonakale ngexesha ngokuwuzoba. I-Market Makers ijika igumbi leebhodi libe yindawo yokuthengiselana ngemasheya esebenzayo. I-Cash Crop iqhuba ibhentshi ye-hydroponic njengeshishini lide lenze inzuzo. Ibhodi sisixhobo; isifundo siyile nto ikhosi engayo.
U. Ingaba umntwana wam ufuna ibhodi yakhe ukuze enze umsebenzi odibeneyo?
Hayi. Iprojekthi ekwisifanisi se-3D ifumana ubuni besixhobo sayo kwaye ipapasha nge-broker efanayo neebhodi zenyani, ngoko ke ideshibhodi enye inokubonisa irobhothi elinganisiweyo neyenyani ecaleni kwenye. Isifanisi sisebenza kwibhrawuza ngaphandle kweakhawunti, ngaphandle kokukhuphela kwaye ngaphandle kwezixhobo eziphathekayo.
U. Ndifundisa ngaziphi iilwimi?
Ujongano (interface), ii-blocks, isifanisi kunye nomncedisi konke kunokutshintshwa phakathi kweelwimi ezili-11, kubandakanywa isiBhulu, isiZulu nesiXhosa. Iiklasi kwikhampasi zifundiswa ngesiNgesi.
Yiza uze kubuza le mibuzo mithandathu ubuqu
Iklasi yovavanyo isimahla, yimizuzu engamashumi amathandathu, kwikhampasi ese-Century City — kwaye eyona ndlela ikhawulezayo yokuphendula nayiphi na kwezi kukubukela oko akwenzayo umntwana wakho xa into ingasebenzi okokuqala.
I-FIRST®, FIRST® LEGO® League kunye ne-FIRST® Tech Challenge ziimpawu zorhwebo ze-FIRST kunye ne-LEGO Group, ezingaxhasiyo okanye ezingavumelaniyo ne-Sheen Academy.