Preparing Ugandan Secondary Teachers for Robotics and Technology Competitions

Abstract

This paper describes the details of an intensive one-day robotics workshop designed to introduce the basics of educational robotics to 10 Ugandan secondary information technology teachers. At the end of the workshop, a survey was administered to the participating teachers. The workshop was successful in sparking teachers’ interest in robotics. Five out of 10 teachers participated in a regional robotics competition with their own school teams 5 months after participating in the workshop. The other 5 teachers planned to participate in the same regional robotics competition in the following year. This study suggests that robotics programs offer an opportunity for students in developing countries such as Uganda to become deeply involved in STEM activities and develop an interest in STEM careers. Further research might focus on teacher professional development that is a critical factor mediating students’ access to quality STEM education in developing countries.