Bradley Barker

About

Bradley Barker is a prominent education researcher specializing in STEM learning, educational robotics, and informal and out-of-school educational environments. His work has fundamentally shaped our understanding of how hands-on technology experiences can engage young learners in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Barker's most influential contribution, "Robotics as Means to Increase Achievement Scores in an Informal Learning Environment" (2007, 356 citations), demonstrated that robotics-based curricula could meaningfully boost academic achievement among youth ages 9–11 in after-school settings. Building on this, his 2010 study examining robotics and geospatial technologies—including GPS and GIS—revealed significant improvements in both STEM learning and student attitudes, accumulating 271 citations. Barker has extended this work across summer camps, clubs, and competitions, and co-edited the widely referenced book *Robots in K-12 Education: A New Technology for Learning* (2012). His NSF-funded research through the ITEST program further examined workplace skill development alongside academic outcomes. Notably, Barker has also advanced volunteer development models within the 4-H framework, ensuring that community-based STEM programming reaches underserved youth through sustainable delivery systems. His cumulative body of work has profoundly influenced informal STEM education policy and practice.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Robotics as Means to Increase Achievement Scores in an Informal Learning Environment

   356 citations · 2007
2. 2
   Impact of Robotics and Geospatial Technology Interventions on Youth STEM Learning and Attitudes

   271 citations · 2010
3. 3
   Robotics camps, clubs, and competitions: Results from a US robotics project

   95 citations · 2015
4. 4
   Examining fidelity of program implementation in a STEM-oriented out-of-school setting

   50 citations · 2013
5. 5
   Robots in K-12 Education: A New Technology for Learning

   46 citations · 2012
6. 6
   A New Model of 4-H Volunteer Development in Science, Engineering, and Technology Programs

   45 citations · 2009
7. 7
   The Impact of Educational Robotics on Student STEM Learning, Attitudes, and Workplace Skills

   32 citations · 2013
8. 8
   The Impact of Educational Robotics on Student STEM Learning, Attitudes, and Workplace Skills

   21 citations · 2012
9. 9
   Examining 4-H Robotics and Geospatial Technologies in the Learning of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Topics

   20 citations · 2008
10. 10
    Examining 4-H Robotics in the Learning of Science, Engineering and Technology Topics and the Related Student Attitudes

    18 citations · 2008

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links