Skip to main content

Learning Paths and Time Estimates

Telemark is arranged as a full sequence, but you do not need every unit before you begin contributing. Choose the path that matches your current role, then return to other units when the work requires them.

Time estimate assumptions

The estimates below assume a student reads the lesson, completes the simulator challenge, and asks at least one debugging question. A fast reader may move quicker; a team building and testing on real hardware should expect extra time for wiring, configuration, and mechanical fixes.

Rookie Programmer Path​

Goal: become useful in TeleOp and understand the FTC SDK lifecycle.

Recommended order: Units 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, then Unit 8 lessons 8.1 and 8.2.

Estimated time: 10-16 hours.

Checkpoint: you can write a TeleOp that maps motors, reads gamepad input, sends telemetry, and stops safely.

Mentor note

Before new programmers move into autonomous pathing, ask them to explain init(), loop(), hardwareMap.get(), and why motor power must be set back to zero.

Drive-Base Path​

Goal: own drivetrain code, driver feel, and basic autonomous movement.

Recommended order: Units 4, 5, 8, 10, 12. Add Unit 6 if you are writing LinearOpMode autonomous routines.

Estimated time: 12-20 hours.

Checkpoint: you can tune drive directions, choose motor modes intentionally, read encoders, and use IMU heading data without mixing up axes.

Real-world failure to watch for

If the robot drives perfectly on blocks but poorly on the field, suspect wheel traction, motor direction mismatches, bad center of gravity, or loose mechanical parts before rewriting the whole drivetrain.

Autonomous Lead Path​

Goal: coordinate mechanisms, sensors, and timed or state-based autonomous routines.

Recommended order: Units 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, then Unit 15.5.

Estimated time: 18-30 hours.

Checkpoint: you can write nonblocking routines, isolate subsystem classes, reset sensors deliberately, and build a state machine that can be debugged from telemetry.

Mentor note

Keep a tested, simple autonomous routine in the repository. If the more complex routine becomes unreliable at an event, the team can switch to the simpler option instead of running unverified changes.

Vision and Pathing Path​

Goal: use cameras and path following for more reliable autonomous scoring.

Recommended order: Units 12, 14, 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4, then 15.5.

Estimated time: 16-28 hours, plus robot-specific tuning time.

Checkpoint: you can initialize a camera, validate results before using them, stop streams when appropriate, tune path following from real field tests, and fuse vision corrections only when the data is trustworthy.

Official references

Suggested Weekly Rhythm​

Suggested Weekly Learning Rhythm
1
Read and simulateStudy one lesson together, then run the simulator challenge.
2
Port to robotApply the concept to one real subsystem or drivetrain behavior.
3
Debug and documentRecord what failed, what fixed it, and what to check first next time.
4
IntegrateCombine with previous units and run a driver or autonomous test.

Move at a pace that lets each student explain what the robot is doing, why the code is structured that way, and what they would check first when it fails.

Stuck on this lesson?

Ask about anything on this page. It can see which lesson you have open and which part you are reading.