Welcome to teachCTE.vex.com!
As a CTE educator, you are aware of the importance of providing students with hands-on, real world experiences that prepare them for careers in the complex industrial manufacturing workplace. You also know that you must prepare your students to be innovative and flexible problem solvers and critical thinkers in order to thrive in their future careers.
We know that you are immersed in a dynamic and challenging job with little time to spare, so we have designed this page to serve as a resource hub. You can return to this page repeatedly to find support as you teach with the VEX CTE Workcell in your setting. On this page, you will find access to information about teaching with our CTE STEM Lab Units as well as an extensive wealth of related resources. Follow along with the page below to get started teaching CTE with confidence.
There's nothing more important than sending your students out into the world with a strong foundation that they can build a career upon, and we are here to support you in that endeavor.
Jason McKenna
VP of Global Educational Strategy, VEX Robotics
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Get Certified
The first step to successful teaching with VEX CTE is to become a certified VEX CTE educator. Earning your certification is easy with our free Intro Course, VEX CTE Introduction to the 6-Axis Arm. This hands-on course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to begin teaching with VEX CTE in your classroom. All VEX courses are located in VEX PD+, our online professional development platform. In order to begin taking the course, create an account using the following steps:
1. Navigate to pd.vex.com, and select the Get Started with Free PD+ button.
2. Fill out the form to register for a new VEX Account. Return to PD+, and use your new account to sign in.
3. Select Intro Courses on your PD+ Dashboard.
Join the PD+ Community
Once you have earned your Certification, you will have access to post in the CTE and General areas of the PD+ Community. The VEX PD+ Community is a place for like-minded educators to come together to support each other as they grow their teaching expertise. The PD+ Community offers educators of all experience levels the opportunity to ask questions about teaching strategies and pedagogy, share ideas, ask for advice and have productive dialog with peers about teaching and learning.
To reach the CTE Section of the PD+ Community, select Community in the PD+ Dashboard.
As a certified VEX CTE Educator, you have full access to read and post in the CTE and General Sections of the Community. You can also read content in any of the other platform sections.
Explore CTE Workcell STEM Lab Units
What are STEM Lab Units?
VEX has created free, online curricular resources for teaching with the VEX CTE Workcell called STEM Lab Units. These student-facing Units harness the excitement of industrial robotics in a classroom setting through hands-on, engaging activities. STEM Lab Units are sequenced into courses which are designed to be taken in order, beginning with Introduction to the 6-Axis Arm.
Each Unit is made up of four different types of pages: Introduction, Lessons, Mid-Unit Reflection and Goal Adjustment, and Putting It All Together. The concepts and challenges in each unit grow in complexity, preparing students for a culminating Capstone Challenge. Students apply their learning from the entire course to complete an open-ended challenge using the engineering design process. This VEX Library article provides detailed information on implementing a CTE Workcell Course.
This course covers the basics of robotic arms in industry. Students explore foundational concepts including:
- Cartesian coordinate system
- End effectors
- Palletizing
- Using a teach pendant
- Computer science fundamentals
- And more
In this course, students expand their knowledge of industrial robotics by exploring workcell automation. Students explore additional robotics and computer science concepts, including
- Sensors
- Conveyors
- Diverters
- Pneumatics
- Cooperative systems
- And more
Resources for Teaching with the CTE Workcell
A diverse array of resources is available to support and enhance your teaching with the CTE Workcell before, during and after class.
Supporting You as You Teach
Facilitation guides are the teacher-facing guide to planning, teaching and assessing students using CTE STEM Labs, and function like an online teacher's manual.
Facilitation Guides for each Unit are linked at the bottom of the CTE Teacher Portal.
Answer keys for the Check Your Understanding Questions in each Unit are also provided, so you can monitor your students' progress with ease.
Supporting You as You Prepare and Plan
VEX CTE STEM Lab Units are aligned to both education and industry standards, helping to ensure students are well prepared for college and career. You can view the specific ways those standards are met for your students in the Where and How Standards are Reached document. Each tab correlates with a different STEM Lab Unit.
A Cumulative Pacing Guide is also available in the Teacher's Portal. This resource provides you with an overview of the concepts addressed in each CTE Workcell Course Unit, allowing you to feel secure in your ability to plan ahead and structure your class time effectively to meet students' needs.
Continue to Expand your Knowledge with VEX Professional Development Plus (PD+)
The VEX PD+ platform offers a comprehensive suite of professional development resources in two tiers - a free tier and an All-Access paid tier.
VEX PD+ free tier
The VEX PD+ free tier includes access to:
- Intro Courses: These self-paced online courses, provide training on each VEX platform. Each course contains formative assessment and tracks your progress, making it easy for you to check your understanding and complete the course at your own pace. Once you become certified, you gain access to the VEX Professional Learning Community (PLC).
- Professional Learning Community (PLC): Join a network of global educators and VEX Experts, where you can learn, share, and benefit from a wealth of shared experiences. This is your virtual Teacher’s Lounge, where you can have meaningful dialogue, share expertise, ask questions, and work collaboratively to improve your STEM teaching and learning.
VEX PD+ paid tier (All-Access)
The VEX PD+ paid tier (All-Access) helps you to take your learning even further, and includes access to:
- 1-1 Sessions: Schedule a 1-1 session with a VEX expert, get guidance and support tailored to your needs.
- VEX Masterclasses: Video-based, expert-led courses that range from introductory ‘Getting Started’ courses to more advanced and pedagogy focused courses.
- VEX Video Library: Access to hundreds of videos across a variety of topics and VEX platforms, available anytime and from anywhere.
- VEX Robotics Educators Conference: An annual conference that brings the VEX PD+ Community together for in-person, hands-on learning, inspiring keynotes, and learning sessions with VEX education experts.
- And more!
Keep Students Motivated through Student-Centered Assessment
Assessment that prioritizes the process of learning keeps students motivated and engaged. Easily implemented student-centered assessment is woven throughout CTE Workcell STEM Lab Units, beginning with the Introduction Lesson, as you co create learning targets with your students. Check Your Understanding Questions are provided in each Lesson, so students can be aware of their progress throughout the unit, and then reflect on it in the Mid-Unit Reflection, where they stop to review their progress and adjust learning targets as needed. The Debrief Conversation at the end of each unit provides an opportunity for conversation-based grading as you discuss students' learning throughout the course.
Visit these resources for additional information and guidance on this research-based practice:
Make Learning Visible with Engineering Notebooks
Incorporating engineering notebooks into your classroom offers a dynamic and collaborative way for students to document their CTE learning journey. Students make their learning visible by using their notebooks to record self-assessments and note coordinates during activities. This tool not only aids in project management and problem-solving but also prepares students with essential life skills in documentation and collaboration, pivotal in both academic and future professional settings.
- For more information about setting up engineering notebooks, see the video in the Introduction Lesson for the Introduction to the 6-Axis Arm Course.
- For more information about using engineering notebooks as a teaching tool, see the video in the CTE Teacher Portal, and/or read this article.
Find Answers in the VEX Library
As you navigate your VEX CTE teaching journey, questions are bound to come up. The VEX Library provides documentation, resources, and information about all things VEX, organized and in one place. This self-serve support resource exists to help you quickly find detailed information on building, electronics, coding, and troubleshooting.
The VEX Library includes information on:
Additional Educator Resources:
Go to library.vex.com for more