In both classrooms and competitive robotics, success comes from collaboration and problem-solving amongst students and team members. With VEXcode VR’s Virtual Skills Playgrounds, teams and classrooms alike have a versatile and accessible tool that allows students to practice coding, strategize, and engage in competition-like experiences anywhere. Whether you’re a teacher managing classroom competitions or a coach guiding a team, Virtual Skills enhances both preparation and collaboration. Both the VEX V5 Robotics Competition (V5RC) and VEX IQ Robotics Competition (VIQRC) have Virtual Skills Playgrounds available, so you can tailor your activities to your students.

Motivating Students with Virtual Skills in the Classroom

Classroom competitions have become a powerful way to engage students in robotics, offering a dynamic, hands-on approach to STEM education. Virtual Skills in VEXcode VR enables students to participate in simulated robotics challenges that closely resemble real competition scenarios.

For teachers, this means they can organize classroom competitions, creating an exciting, motivation-driven learning experience. Virtual Skills in VEXcode VR gives students the opportunity to code in real-time competitive conditions without the need for a physical robot. By introducing these virtual matches into the classroom, teachers can push students to think critically, solve problems, and hone their coding skills, all while creating a bridge to real-world competitions. Classroom competitions can also introduce students to competitive robotics and participate in a competitive robotics environment in a low-pressure way since this does not require the larger commitment of time and/or materials to a competition team.

This parallels the learning environments created through the VEX IQ and EXP STEM Lab Units based around classroom competitions. Read this previous Insights article to learn more about how classroom competitions can motivate students.

A Seamless Practice Solution for Team Coders

One of the most significant advantages of Virtual Skills is its ability to allow coders to work while builders are focusing on the physical robot. Teams are often divided into subgroups—some focused on design and construction, while others are dedicated to coding. When the robot is being built or modified, coders can feel left out. With Virtual Skills, however, coders can practice coding routines, experiment with strategies, and refine their code at any time.

The most important insight teams have gained while using Virtual Skills is the invaluable access to a robot at all times. Unlike the physical robot, which may be tied up during building sessions or unavailable due to maintenance or modifications, Virtual Skills allows coders to have uninterrupted access to their coding environment. This means coders can continue developing and testing code without needing to wait for a turn with the physical robot or the next team meeting.

Additionally, removing the typical physical constraints—like field reset times or battery charging—speeds up the feedback cycle. In Virtual Skills, coders can reset the environment instantly and run trials back-to-back without interruption, maximizing their time to iterate on their code and learn from their mistakes more quickly. This streamlined approach helps coders gain confidence in their coding skills faster, allowing for more time spent on problem-solving and optimization.

Once coders build this confidence in the virtual world, transitioning to the real robot becomes much easier. The familiarity they gain from running their code in Virtual Skills means that when they do test on the physical robot, there are fewer surprises, and they’re able to focus on fine-tuning and performance improvements. This approach ensures coders are well-prepared and capable of troubleshooting both in virtual and real-world environments, leading to a smoother, more efficient workflow for the entire team.

Creating Opportunities for Strategy and Collaboration

Successful competition outcomes often rely on strategic planning and team collaboration. Virtual Skills offers a powerful platform for students to discuss and experiment with strategies in a virtual environment. Whether the team is analyzing the optimal approach to scoring points or fine-tuning their autonomous routines, strategy conversations are enriched by having the ability to simulate different scenarios quickly.

Teams can also use Virtual Skills to explore “what-if” scenarios, running through different strategies and contingencies. By allowing immediate feedback through simulated runs, team members can engage in meaningful discussions about optimization and tactics that would be difficult to replicate with limited physical robot access.

Accessing Virtual Skills

Excited to bring Virtual Skills to your students? Teachers and teams can access Virtual Skills in two ways: using a VEXcode VR Premium Class Code or via a current REC Foundation registration for V5RC or VIQRC. For schools or teams already involved in VEX Robotics Competitions, this means Virtual Skills is readily available as part of their competition experience. To learn more about accessing Virtual Skills: 

• Accessing V5RC Virtual Skills with a Virtual Skills Key
• Accessing VIQRC Virtual Skills with a Virtual Skills Key
• Logging in Using a Class Code in VEXcode VR Enhanced or Premium