Inspiring future IT professionals with Mars rovers

Abstract

With the goal of inspiring at-risk middle school students, we have developed an innovative curriculum using one sixth replicas of the rovers currently on Mars. Each student receives hands-on experience by performing missions in a simulation program. These missions allow students to relate to the process of controlling the actual rovers. Furthermore, students have an opportunity to remotely program and control the replicas in a realistic Martian landscape created in the basement of a middle school. Programming robots in this landscape is the centerpiece of a Technology curriculum in all four middle schools in the Allentown School District as well as a summer and Saturday program at Lehigh University.