Oswego County P-TECH students gained hands-on experience this summer with underwater remotely-operated vehicles (ROV) thanks to a partnership with the Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the Weston T. Hyde Foundation. 

 

Fusing science, engineering and teamwork together, students collaborated with ROV professionals and learned about the history and integrity of ROV and its purpose.

 

They were provided knowledge on ROV technology and its assistance in gathering information for local bodies of water. Students then applied that knowledge to study how to use ROV technology to protect the Lake Ontario Marine Sanctuary. 

 

Students applied their new expertise to construct their own ROVs and tested them at CiTi BOCES main campus in Mexico. Submerging them in water, students completed a number of tasks to test the integrity of their vehicles and learned how to operate them, using critical thinking and problem-solving skills to make revisions, complete the tasks and tackle obstacles.

 

P-TECH Instructor Tiffany Seymour, who was pivotal in creating this experience, said: 

 

“During our summer session, our P-TECH students were able to become mechanical engineers for two weeks. They were tasked with navigating the complete engineering design process to prototype a functional underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) so that marine scientists could explore extreme or hazardous aquatic environments and gather vital data without endangering human lives. During this Project Based Learning (PBL) event, students collaborated in teams to research, design, build, and test their custom robots. Students applied complex engineering concepts in a hands-on, high-states environment. Beyond practicing the practical fabrication skills essential to advanced manufacturing, students were able to practice character-building skills. These skills included communicating effectively, managing timelines, documenting their process and thinking critically when dealing with failures. They learned that in engineering, failure is simply data used to improve the next iteration. Ultimately, they built both functional robots and exceptional resilience in their problem-solving abilities.”

Brian Heffron, the administrator of Workplace Development and Community Relations at CiTi BOCES, said, “this project gave students an opportunity to see how the skills they are developing in the classroom can be applied to real-world challenges in their own community.”

 

P-TECH is a partnership of CiTi BOCES, component school districts, Onondaga Community College and local industry partners, providing students with rigorous and hands-on academic, technical and workplace experiences that lead to a high school diploma and an associate degree, free of cost.