TY - GEN
T1 - Now That's What I Call a Robot(ics Education Kit)!
AU - Fey, James
AU - Robinson, Raquel
AU - Ovali, Selin
AU - Laffan, Nate
AU - Weatherwax, Kevin
AU - Dagan, Ella
AU - Isbister, Katherine
PY - 2024/2/11
Y1 - 2024/2/11
N2 - STEM education is an important component of broadening participation in computational fields, and robotics-inspired kits are a common avenue for teaching youth computational concepts. In this pictorial, we contrast widely used kits (i.e., Lego Mindstorms, Sphero, and DASH) with a kit we created in the form of a module embedded in a summer camp, that takes an alternative approach. Most existing kits are designed with clear-cut, narrowly defined end goals for learners to accomplish. The lessons typically do not include teaching design concepts, and do not offer opportunities for crafting, personalization, and storytelling. We offer a more flexible and creative kit design; integrating concepts such as design thinking, iterative design, and collaboration. We illustrate our design process used to craft the kit/module, along with artifacts collected from its use, and discuss how this approach might help support a broader range of groups—particularly those that are underrepresented in STEM.
AB - STEM education is an important component of broadening participation in computational fields, and robotics-inspired kits are a common avenue for teaching youth computational concepts. In this pictorial, we contrast widely used kits (i.e., Lego Mindstorms, Sphero, and DASH) with a kit we created in the form of a module embedded in a summer camp, that takes an alternative approach. Most existing kits are designed with clear-cut, narrowly defined end goals for learners to accomplish. The lessons typically do not include teaching design concepts, and do not offer opportunities for crafting, personalization, and storytelling. We offer a more flexible and creative kit design; integrating concepts such as design thinking, iterative design, and collaboration. We illustrate our design process used to craft the kit/module, along with artifacts collected from its use, and discuss how this approach might help support a broader range of groups—particularly those that are underrepresented in STEM.
KW - STEM Education
KW - Computational Learning
KW - Robotics Kits
KW - Design Thinking
KW - Underrepresented Groups in STEM
KW - STEM Education
KW - Computational Learning
KW - Robotics Kits
KW - Design Thinking
KW - Underrepresented Groups in STEM
U2 - 10.1145/3623509.3633401
DO - 10.1145/3623509.3633401
M3 - Article in proceedings
SP - 1
EP - 14
BT - Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction
PB - Association for Computing Machinery
ER -