Design, Development, and Implementation of Educational Robotics Activities for K-12 Students

Abstract

Abstract ASEE 2012 – K-12 & Pre-College Engineering Division Interactive Technology Experience Center for K-12 STEM Education: From Summer Camps to Robotics Competitions 1 2 3 4 5 Can Saygin , Timothy Yuen , Heather Shipley , HungDa Wan , and David Akopian The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Interactive Technology Experience Center (iTEC) San Antonio, Texas 78249-0670 1 Corresponding Author, [email protected], Department of Mechanical Engineering 2 [email protected], Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching 3 [email protected], Department of Civil and Environmental Department 4 [email protected], Department of Mechanical Engineering 5 [email protected], Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringABSTRACTInteractive Technology Experience Center (iTEC) is a K-12 STEM (science, technology, engineering, andmathematics) center at the University of Texas at San Antonio, which was established in 2007 with amission to motivate young people to pursue careers in engineering by demonstrating advancedtechnologies and engaging them in interactive activities that build technical skills and foster criticalthinking, self-confidence, communication, and leadership. Since 2007, the iTEC team has developed a 5-step Active Learning Cycle (ALC) model and implemented it at various K-12 events ranging from 4-hourworkshops to day camps to 5-day summer camps. The pedagogical aspects of the events have beenfounded on the 5-step ALC model with various themes, including robotics, aerospace, forensics,environment, and manufacturing, designed for different age groups.The 5-Step ALC model for effective learning is based on three constructivist principles of knowing andlearning: learning is an active process, learning is engagement, and learning is situated. This theoreticalframework built upon constructivist perspectives of knowing and learning serves as the foundation for theALC Model for effective K-12 STEM instruction.The ALC model has a step-wise structure that gradually brings students from peripheral participation inthe community of learners and the community of engineers to becoming active participants. It includes 5steps: Content, Model, Application, Problem Solving, and Design. The objective is to keep individualsengaged, active, and motivated. First step is the content, presented to describe a concept. This is thenfollowed by the second step, which is a model that demonstrates the concept. Next, an application step isintroduced in which students tweak parameters to change the outcome of the application that is foundedon the concept. Fourth step is problem solving that stimulates analysis skills. In the fifth step, an open-ended design problem, constructed on the initial concept, is presented. Students can work on the designproblem in teams. The design problem can be introduced as a competition.In this paper, we share our experiences related to the development of the 5-step ALC model, itsimplementation in various iTEC events, and detailed conclusions, which can be summarized as follows: Understanding a concept entails having a mental model that reflects the structure of the concept and its relationship to other concepts. Therefore, presenting organized knowledge through concepts that are combined to form propositions that show the relationship among concepts is essential. Learning is an active and continual process, where knowledge is constructed, continually updated, and refined as the individual gains more experiences. During knowledge construction and refinement, individuals use all their senses: hear, see, touch, etc. Interacting with a physical object or an experiment enhances and expedites learning. Effective K-12 STEM instruction requires engaging students to be active learners; presenting engineering concepts in concrete, relevant, and real-world contexts; and immersing students in authentic engineering-based activities.