1. Getting Children
into Research
Prof Mamokgethi Setati
Vice Principal: Research and
Innovation
setatrm@unisa.ac.za

2. Why this session?
• The FIRST® LEGO® League
program is designed to show
kids how exciting science,
technology, and engineering
can be.
• Research and problem solving
are integral parts of these fields
and keys to the success of any
real-world engineering team.

3. The FLL Real-World Problem
themes
• 2009 Smart Moves – the
transportation of the world.
• 2010 Body Forward – the trends in
Bio-Medical Engineering.
• 2011 Food Factor – the issues of
food contamination as a world issue
that affects all nations.
• 2012 Senior Solution – how to keep
old people engaged and integrated in
the community in which they live.

4. What is research about?

5. Why do research?

6. Why get children
interested in research?
• To satisfy their curiosity.
• To encourage them to think critically
about the problems that they confronted
with
• To Increase their general knowledge and
world knowledge about real-world
issues.
• Prepares them for an academic
environment (post school)
• Helps them with their school work
projects.
• Consider solutions from a ‘young’ mind
perspective – no bias, preconceived,
conformed …

7. Teaching children to do research is
important because
• Core Subjects: Children must learn
beyond the BASICS REQUIRED.
• Learning Skills: they learn to use what
they have learned, e.g. critical thinking,
application and implementation, thinking
of new things, communication and
collaboration.
• 21st Century Tools: they learn how to
use technology to find answers
• 21st Century Context: REAL world …
• 21st Century Content: Discerning and
analyzing the body of knowledge available

8. How to do research

9. How to get children
interested?