Playful STEAM Learning Using Robots

Abstract

In developing countries like India, the school and college education systems are mired in the passive, teacher-centric pedagogy based on rote learning. Active, student-centric STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) learning can be achieved through extremely affordable open source hardware and free open source software to foster innovation and creativity among teachers and students in colleges and universities as well as schools. In particular, build your own and do-it-yourself (BYO/DIY) robots and tabletop subtractive and additive manufacturing machines can be designed, fabricated and disseminated for hands-on education in design, electronics, programming, robotics and manufacturing. This paper discusses an ongoing collaborative project between a higher educational institution, a non-profit foundation and a corporate sponsor to establish and operate project-based STEAM learning labs in resource-poor government high schools in nine Indian cities. The work reported is the schools outreach part of a Teaching Learning Centre for design, development and dissemination of low-cost manufacturing education technologies for engineering colleges and universities. The methodology can be replicated with locale-specific adaptations in schools elsewhere.