Confused Over Which STEM, Robotics Or Coding Programs To Choose?

There are many robotics and coding schools out there that are running STEM, Scratch and Python coding, Robotics. Naturally, you will be overwhelmed by the amount of information if you are not technical to understand their differences.

Now your child has a chance to experience all of these programmes at a single location. Our MetaRobot and Young Engineers curriculum consists of 6-in-1 integration which is carefully balance between coding, robotics, STEM, artificial intelligence. We also have a team of coaches to train kids for robotic competitions which is an important pre-requisite for getting into direct school admission of your choice.

MetaRobot and Young Engineers Sales Hero Image
MetaRobot Instructor
Play Video about MetaRobot Instructor

The goal is making learning fun

We believe in making learning fun by combining education with entertainment. Our programs include building models with Stem principles and coding. Through our programs, students will learn critical core skills such as computational thinking and logical reasoning. Besides these critical core skills, they are also developing learning agility.

So this means that they are able to apply what they have learned in different contexts and scenarios. To find out more about how we can equip your child with these skills, click the button below.

Modules prepared to fit every child needs

Our curriculum for each age group is carefully designed to build up their competency through motor skills, visual spatial, conceptual understanding and logical reasoning. It is also deliberately conjure up to build up their ability to complete tasks (in the form of problem solving). Depending on each age group, they will be exposing to modules like Robotics Engineering, Robotics Engineering & Coding, Games Coding, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Competition Obstacles Challenge Courses.
LOGO
Adapter

Category: Foundational | Age Group: 3 - 4 Years Old

Programme Objective:
This programme aims to equip young learners with the fundamentals of building through a variety of LEGO®models. With the exposure to building models using LEGO® at a young age, children are able to further enhance their fine motor skills

Getting The Foundation Right
With specially created models that appeal to young learners, children will also be exposed to the concept of creative leisure. We place an emphasis on teaching planning and execution skills, as well as promoting flexibility and social interaction among our students. Students are also encouraged to play as a group which helps to develop their social, leadership, creative thinking, and emotional intelligence skills, among many others.

Learning Modules:

logo
Ranker

Category: Exploratory | Age Group: 4 - 6 Years Old

Programme Objective:
This programme is the launchpad for children to explore their interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), and an introduction to computational thinking via basic robotics coding projects.

Testing The Waters
Children will be introduced to basic STEM mechanisms found in everyday objects such as electric fans, washing machines, traffic lights, etc. Furthermore, they will explore basic robotics coding
through Young Engineers’ proprietary tangible coding blocks, and Scratch Junior’s introductory visual programming Language.

Learning Modules:

High Ranker
High Ranker

Category: Apprentice | Age Group: 6 - 8 Years Old

Programme Objective:
High Ranker is a progressive programme from Ranker. Its key objective is to help children develop richer knowledge and better application of STEM principles, improve on robotics coding, and gain further computational thinking skills. Artificial intelligence, such as machine learning, is one of the highlights of this programme.

E = MC2
Children will progress to advanced STEM mechanisms, and study real-world structures such as elevators, ferris wheels, cable cars, etc. Besides learning the principles of physics, children will also be exploring basic game design using the Scratch 3.0 interactive platform, as well as training machine
learning systems.

Learning Modules:

Ace
MetaRobot and Young Engineers Sales Landing Page

Category: Specialist | Age Group: 8 - 10 Years Old

Programme Objective:
The Ace programme promotes children to the next level of robotics coding, software coding, and artificial intelligence. Children will beequipped to solve more sophisticated real-world problems with analytical and creative thinking skills. The group-based projects in this programme are aimed to help children develop entrepreneurial and leadership skills.

Level Up!
In the Ace programme, children will be exposed to more complex STEM mechanisms that would require teamwork and collaboration to reach a resolution. The next level of computational thinking involves having children apply more complex coding principles to achieve the functionality of the models which they are tasked to build. With the Advanced Scratch 3.0 module, children will also be challenged to step up their game designing skills.

Learning Modules:

King
King

Category: Expert | Age Group: 10 and above

Programme Objective:
The King programme prepares children for transdisciplinary thinking through various complex tasks. These tasks require children to connect ideas and disciplinary content in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) to solve real-life problems. Children will also learn a few programming languages, and the application of their skills on different platforms.

Like A Pro!
The King programme is specially designed to ease children into learning the characteristics and technicalities of a programming lanquage. By applying the robotics knowledge and skills acquired in our preliminary programmes, children are able to easily grasp the programming languages, used among industry experts, that are taught in this programme.

Learning Modules:

Legend
Legend

Category: Master | Age Group: 12 and above

Programme Objective:
The Legend programme prepares children and teenagers to take part in competitions that are globally recognised. The competition training will challenge students to think and develop creative solutions to a real-world problems designed by international associations such as For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) and World Robot Olympiad (WRO). Through the training and competitions, learners will experience growth and development in both technical and 21st-century skills.

Thriving Beyond Coding
As this is a more intensive programme, learners will be required to prepare to commit and persevere, and to accept failure as part of the learning process. Our experienced instructors will guide learners through the process, and equip them with the necessary skills to adapt, adjust, and ultimately, to achieve success.

Learning Modules:

Learning Modules:

Videos of our class activities (Ranker & High Ranker)

Curious about what your child does in their classes? Here are some snippets videos. Most of the lessons started with our dedicated trainers explaining the lesson objectives and providing some conceptual explanation of the Lego engineering models they will be building. For example, if the prototype which they will be building is an elevator, then the conceptual theory of the day will focus on Isaac Newton who discover gravity! 

Ranker Robotics
Play Video about Ranker – Robotics & Coding
Ranker Animation
Play Video about Ranker – Animation & Games
Ranker – Robotics & STEM
Play Video about Ranker – Robotics & STEM
High Ranker Robotics
Play Video about High Ranker – Robotics & STEM
High Ranker – Machine Learning
Play Video about High Ranker – Games Design
High Ranker – Machine Learning
Play Video about High Ranker – Machine Learning

MetaRobot and Young Engineers development pathway

21st Century Competency

To prepare the students for 21st Century Competency, we have created many real-world scenarios in our lesson objectives in order to create a situation and global awareness of the Science, Engineering and Technology that has transformed our world into what it is now. It is also setting the stage for these students to embrace the challenges which requires making full use of their information skills, collaboration and communication skills to resolve them.
MetaRobot and Young Engineers Sales Landing Page

Critical Thinking

Inventive Thinking

Inventive Thinking

Information Skill

Information Skill

MetaRobot and Young Engineers Sales Landing Page

Collaboration

Communication

Communication

MetaRobot and Young Engineers Sales Landing Page

Global Awareness

4th Technological Revolution

The 4th Technology Revolution is happening right now in case you are not aware. Robotics, Engineering, Coding and Artificially Intelligence have never been so important for our next generation. It would have a serious consequences to dismiss it without carefully considering the impact it could have on preparing your child. Millions of jobs that would not have existed 10 years ago are now redefining the current career landscape. Embracing this 4th technology revolution  now will be the wise options to thrive for our next generation.
Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence

robotic-arm logo

Robotics

Engineering

Engineering

Computer Science

Computer Science

Cyber Security

Cyber Security

smartphone logo

Internet of Things

6-In-1 Programmes

Our 6-in-1 programmes are carefully curated to enable the development of both soft skills and technical skills. Both skillsets are equally important especially in this 21st Century. The children are required to adapt to this fast pace transforming brought forward by the 4th technology revolution. Learning Agility is one of the core competency we emphasise within our curriculum to prepare students to have the capability to adapt to changes quickly and efficiently. We strongly believe in exposing students to multiple programmes of different nature in order for them to experience the quick changes made from the real world.
S.T.E.M

S.T.E.M

MetaRobot and Young Engineers Sales Landing Page

Robotics

Python

Python

MetaRobot and Young Engineers Sales Landing Page

Machine Learning

Robotics Competitions

Robotics Competitions

MetaRobot and Young Engineers Sales Landing Page

Direct School Admission

More videos from our class activities (Ace, King and Legend)

For this higher age group, the curriculum will focused more towards their problem solving ability and their creativity and critical thinking skillsets. Our trainers will gear towards more advance engineering principles and the difficulty of the LEGO  engineering prototypes will increase accordingly. There will be more tasks added to challenge the students to complete within the allocated time. There are some modules such as obstacle challenge course which requires the students to work in pairs or team in order to solve a more complex challenge. All these are geared to build up their soft skill in collaboration and team work.
Ace – Robotics & Coding
Play Video about Ace – Robotics & Coding
Ace – Robotics & STEM
Play Video about Ace – Robotics & STEM
Ace – Advance Games Design
Play Video about Ace – Advance Games Design
King – Obstacles Challenge Course #1
Play Video about King – Obstacles Challenge Course #1
King - Obstacles Challenge Course #2
Play Video about King - Obstacles Challenge Course #2
Legend – First LEGO League Robotics Competition
Play Video about Legend – First LEGO League Robotics Competition

DSA Into Your Preferred Secondary School of Choice

Did you know that Computing is now a new accepted pathway for Direct School Admission (DSA), more than 50 schools in SG offering it for Robotics & STEM? If you’re still considering music, taekwondo or other arts pathway that takes years of mastery, think no more. Robotics & Computing only requires 1-2 years to master.

In fact, Computing is now even an O Level subject that students can take (Syllabus 7155 Computing by SEAB and Cambridge?) for their L1R4/5.

Computational thinking is also a compulsory module for local universities NTU, NUS, SMU, SUTD. It is not just for Computer Science or Engineering students. Students studying Law, Arts, Medical Science are also required to take it.
Here at First Step Academy, we train our students to participate in the National Robotics Competition (NRC) and First Lego League (FLL), the only pre-requisite to DSA.

Most schools which offers DSA through Robotics require a good portfolio to demonstrate competency. Hence participants must finish our Robotics Program in order to qualify as there are enough lessons and models in the program for us to do up the portfolio.

We’ll create a portfolio of all the projects that they have done with our curriculum as well as train your kids on their presentation skills to prepare for the DSA interview, which can make or break your child’s chances.

Hear from one of our NRC Jayce Goh about what is NRC, his LEGO Robotics model he used during the competition and how he came out with all the ideas.

NRC
Play Video about NRC
first step academy

Photo: Jayce Goh
Parent: Marcus Ramsey Goh
Achievement: Won 3rd Place in the National Robotics Competition 2021
in the WeDo Junior Regular Category

first step academy

Photo: Kyle Jeremy Soh
Parent: Elizabeth Tham
Achievement: Won 3rd Place in the National Robotics Competition 2021
in the WeDo Junior Regular Category



first step academy

Photo: Jerome Ng
Parent: Jelyn
Achievement: Won 3rd Place in the National Robotics Competition 2021
in the WeDo Junior Regular Category



first step academy
Students:
  • Zachary Chua Jun Yu
  • Tang Han Xuan

  • Achievement: Won Best Content Award 1st Prize in the National Robotics Competition 2022, Robomission Primary Regular Category
    first step academy
    Students:
  • Shawn Kong
  • Tran Viet Lam
  • Zachary Chua Jun Yu

  • Achievement: Top 10 Finalist National Robotics Competition 2021
    first step academy
    Students:
  • Darius Lim Kai Zhe
  • Lim Pin Han

  • Achievement: Top 10 Finalist National Robotics Competition 2021
    first step academy
    Students:
    • Zachary Chua Jun Yu
    • Javier Chiam Yi Sheng
    • Casper Tan Chin Heng
    • Jaden Yeo

    Achievement:
    • Won Innovation Project Award 3rd Place
    • First Lego League 2022
    first step academy
    Students:
    • Ashton Teo En Hao
    • Aidan Lao Thiam Ing
    • Sun Luke
    • Alton Yang An Zhi

    Achievement:
    • Won Coopertition Award
    • First Lego League 2022

    Successful application of DSA through First Step Academy Robotics and Coding programme

    Caspian Than

    Caspian Than has enroled our Robotics and Coding programme for two years. He participated in various Robotics and Coding competitions and won the 3rd Place of Championship Award for the WRO Regular Category – Primary from the National Robotics Competition 2021. He was given a confirmed offer under the 2022 DSA-Sec successfully!

    Hear from our parents

    Frequently asked questions

    This question has been bothering a lot of parents but they are embarrassed to ask. Glad you brought it up. In the context of Singapore, applied learning is more widely used than STEM. STEM in our curriculum is focusing on Physics, Mathematics and mechanical engineering principles. Our LEGO models are intentionally designed to demonstrate real-world situations where Science and Mathematics principles are all around us and to make students aware of them consciously.

    Our Robotics coding are mainly based on mechanical, electrical and software engineering principles. In Robotics coding, there is usually a “brain” residing within the LEGO models which in technical terms can also be known as “smart hubs”. The programming language from the tablets or laptop will be sent and translated into a commands which the brain will understand. The “brain” will execute these commands provided by the coder, in this case, our students.

    On top of that, computational thinking is one of the important skillset where the students will be guided to think like a computer.

    In essence, STEM Robotics build up their general knowledge of real-world scenarios while Robotics coding tests their technical application on how computers or machines operate in the real-world application.

    In the current Robotics and Coding enrichment schools for children, 30% are focusing on Robotics Coding. The other 70% schools are engaged on software coding. So what is the difference? The simple explanation is hardware vs no hardware.

    Robotics coding and software coding are imparting different skillsets where both are essential. In the case of Robotics coding, a hardware LEGO model is needed. This ensures that a certain level of motor and spatial visual skillset is required before they attempt on the computational thinking and task of problem solving given to them on that challenge. In LEGO robotics,  it has the overwhelming effectiveness of increasing attention span and improve the focus on tasks completion. In the past, LEGO is only used as toys to entertain and keep the kids occupied. LEGO is now used effectively as both toys and education where edutainment is one of the common education philosophy.

    In software coding, no hardware will be built or provided. Instead, they will only be given a tablet or laptop and of course their creativity to design animation and games.  Software coding ensure a wider boundary for exhibiting their creativeness where they are not bounded by any hardware limitation. The students will be working on platform that supports coding into application such as animation,  games or mobile apps via Scratch, Python or Android.

    Oh wait a minute, isn’t laptop or tablet consider hardware? Well, indeed they are but this is not exactly what we refer to as hardware. Hardware is the piece of equipment that can be programmed or coded using a tablet or laptop to perform a certain task. In our robotics coding curriculum, LEGO and its computing accessories are our hardware. In other Robotics curriculum, they could be using Microbits, Arduino or Raspberry. This will be packaged with a casing to look like a Robotic outfit. The curriculum will be imparting the students on computational thinking on how to task the Robots to perform certain functionality or tasks.

    Well, we do not wish to hide the fact that we do charge for our trial class. And the reason why we do so is simply because trial class students get to enjoy what our regular class students are doing and more. They will have a dedicated set of educational tools worth more than $800  during the trial class. (They do not share with any other students.) This will ensure our trainers could have a better assessment of their personal ability and provide the feedbacks to parents in order to be able to assign them to the right level of classes.

    On the other hand, those coding schools which provide free trial lessons usually need just a simple tablet or laptop to conduct their coding classes. The cost of conducting a software coding lesson vs a Robotics coding lesson is much lower.

    Most of the parents are willing to invest in a trial class for their child in order to assess their interest level. We do not force parents to sign up for our class if the child does not have any interest at all.

    In both STEM and Coding curriculum, LEGO Robotics is the overwhelming choice for most parents and schools. Students are exposed to their building and motor skills where they need to visualize and build the models based on a 2D building sheet. This provided the students with another important skills on spatial visual and reasoning. There are some hidden angles on the 2D build sheet which require the student to exhibit their spatial visual and reasoning in order to complete the model. LEGO Robotics are one of the few curriculum that is able to provide them with such spatial reasoning.

    Most of the open-source Robotics came with ready-made Robots. Their lesson’s objective is to focus mostly on coding and computational skills. They do not necessary provide STEM theory or principles even though some of them claim that they do so. Due to the ready-made structure, they could be using the same robots for 6-10 different lessons but teaching different computational thinking concepts and coding commands. Some of our current students came from these robotics schools and parents complained that their child lost interest after a few lessons.

    As for LEGO Robotics, students rarely get bored because they are building different LEGO models to demonstrate different situations of real-world applications. This is the reason why LEGO is not only the biggest toy manufacturer. They also claimed to be the biggest education institutional since they using LEGO tools to disguise entertainment as education.

    One of our main education philosophy is learning agility. In the rapid changing world, students are subjected to constant challenges of new evolving technology. We believe by exposing them to these variety of learning opportunity, they are better equip to prepare for whatever challenges being brought to them.

    Our learning modules consists of STEM Robotics, Robotics Coding, Software Coding, Machine Learning, LEGO Competitions and Direct School Admission. Our objective is to prepare them to a holistic experience which ultimately leads them to their desired secondary school admission.

    • STEM Robotics: Physics, Mathematics and mechanical engineering principles
    • Robotics Coding: Mechanical, electrical and software engineering 
    • Software Coding: computer science/ computational thinking
    • Artificial intelligence: Data Science and Machine Learning
    • Competition: leadership, entrepreneurship project management
    • Direct School Admission: presentation skills

    In the past, excelling in one subject is sufficient to get their career forward. However, for the 21st century, it will require more than 1 subject as the 4th generation of industrial revolution focus on multi-disciplinary fields to excel.

    Yes, and very much so. Part of our Robotics curriculum are acquired from our Young Engineers franchise where our Young Engineers programmes are endorsed by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. We are enhancing and localizing the global Robotics curriculum into real-world situation that are commonly used and seen by our students. We understand how our local students perform and structure our lesson’s objective to be able to provide a fair assessment of their holistic ability. We have curriculum partners who are real engineers and are able to design and create challenges to evaluate their problem solving ability. In our lessons, we have more than 300 different LEGO models and growing that demonstrate different aspects of STEM and Coding principles.

    Some of the LEGO Robotics curriculum provider are using the direct curriculum from LEGO education especially those who conduct for schools. There is nothing wrong with that except that they are limited with only a few lessons. LEGO education also tends to provide simple models that does not fully challenge their spatial visuality.

    We also conduct our curriculum in local as well as international schools. Our trainers to student’s ratio is 1: 20 (max) or 1: 12 (min). There is a limitation as to what each student will absorb or learn from these lessons. Let’s be honest, trainers will not be able to put all attentions on each student.

    However, in our class lessons, our trainer to student’s ratio is lower at 1:2 or 1:4. If the class size increase, we will add another trainer to assist the main trainer with the class. This will ensure the students learnings are not compromised.

    Many of our students took up Robotics CCA as well as our Robotics curriculum. Some of them have been with us for 2-3 years. Our curriculum will ensure that they are learning all the different aspects of STEM, Coding, Artificial Intelligence without overwhelming them.

    We do not repeat the same models in any of our class. However, some of the models might look similar, but the construction and lesson’s objectives are different.

    In our class, we put more emphasize on STEM and coding principles  for the kids. The construction of the models contributes just 25% of our lesson’s objectives. The students will be challenge to understand some of the key STEM or coding principles and applying their knowledge into improving their model construction. We have more than 300 different LEGO models ranging from different level of difficulty and application.

    As explained, the models might look similar, but in our curriculum, we have integrated a hybrid of STEM and Coding into a single module. As a result, the students will be exposed to both principles even though they thought they are building similar models.

    The basic assessment will only reflect the student’s current progress and will not include an individualized development plan and roadmap.

    With a longer commitment with us, we are able to plan ahead and discuss the progression for the student for the entire year. The development will come in the form of an individualized development plan where we scrutinize the strengths and weaknesses of the student and formulate action plans to enable each student to reach their potential.

    The charted roadmap is given to show the progress of the student in the programme and his/her subsequent level in the developmental pathway.

    We require a certain level of commitment from our instructors. As much as possible, instructors remain with their students for the entire course. This is to ensure that instructors are familiar with the students and can engage them effectively.

    There is no minimum number of students in the class, but we encourage peer learning in our lessons. may recommend timeslots to ensure that group activities can take place to provide learning opportunities and for positive compromise and understanding of working in a team.

    2 Ways to sign up for trial class

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    You can use the form below to start a trial class or send direct message to us on WhatsApp below.

    You can as well submit the same request directly to our WhatsApp for quick response. Thank you 🙂

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    If you are interested to experience a class for your child. Kindly fill the form below and let’s get you started

    Fill and submit the form directly to our WhatsApp for quick response. Thank you :)

    Fill and submit the form directly to our WhatsApp for quick response. Thank you :)

    Book A Slot Now!

    If you wish to check out our class schedule at your preferred location, you can click on the respective center to reserve a slot!

    Book A Slot Now!

    If you wish to check out our class schedule at your preferred location, you can click on the respective center to reserve a slot!

    Sign Up For Trial Class

    If you are interested to start MetaRobot & Young Engineers trial class for your child. Kindly fill the form below and let’s get you started

    Sign Up For Trial Class

    If you are interested to start MetaRobot & Young Engineers trial class for your child. Kindly fill the form below and let’s get you started

    Fill and submit the form directly to our WhatsApp for quick response. Thank you :)

    Fill and submit the form directly to our WhatsApp for quick response. Thank you :)

    Development Pathway