SPIRIT BriefingBing Chen, Neal Grandgenett

Elliott Ostler, Paul Clark

http://ceen.unomaha.edu/TekBots/

Status of current NSF grants:• NSF Adaptation and Innovation ($160K): 2006-2008

Incorporate the TekBot into NU CEEN programs• NSF ITEST SPIRIT “1.0” ($1.2M): 2006-2008 Use

TekBot to teach engineering fundamentals and robotics to middle school teachers

• NSF Discovery K-12 “SPIRIT 2.0” ($2.99M): 2008-2012 Develop a robotics curriculum for national distribution

Objectives of SPIRIT 2.01. Develop a Grades 5-8 educational robotics curriculum to

enhance STEM concepts 2. Refine the instructional effectiveness of the curriculum 3. Integrate assessments into the curriculum to help teachers4. Replace the TekBot® with the CEENBoT/NUBoT with hardware,

GUI & tutorials5. Create cyberinfrastructure support (mat’ls, lessons, info,

assessments, online diagnostics)6. Scale the project to national levels via two summer workshops

(one in Nebraska and one via distance learning) to use the curriculum

CEENBoT/NUBoT

CEENBoT/NUBoT attributes• Employs RC grade level parts available to

hobbyists• Stepper motors versus servo or dc motors for

greater precision, control and longevity• Infinitely reconfigurable: a true university-level

engineering product for K-12 space• Chosen by NSF to develop a national

educational curriculum to support STEM

Current SPIRIT Participants• Primary collaboration between NU and Omaha Public Schools

targeting >100 middle school math and science teachers (3 yrs)• Expanded inclusion to elementary and high schools• Adapt university TekBot learning platform to teaching middle

school STEM topics• 52% Minority District, with more that 50,000 students. Fully

available test site. • Also good participation from other districts

Photo by: Ashley Washburn

Planned Curriculum Cyber-infrastructure:

Figure 4. Sample CPM Result

Also Undertaking Center/Startup: • NU start-up company created to meet the

production demands for robots and for customer service from K-16 schools, colleges and individual customers– Continual refinements/upgrades of curriculum– Sponsoring ongoing hardware-software robot

innovations and continued improvements– Offering of institutes, grade courses, etc.– Marketing to potential clients nationally and globally

Potential Markets• K-12 schools throughout US for in school and

after school programs• Other ECE programs (and ME) within US (over

400) to give students intellectual stimulation• Community colleges for transfer programs• Interested individuals who are engineering

“tinkerers” at heart

Timetable• Space secured for manufacturing and storage: 12/07• Start-up company created: 1/08• SBIR grant preparation: 2/08• Develop business plan: 6/08• Production of first 1,000 bots for SPIRIT 1.0 and A&I

grants produced with CEEN staff/labor: 8/08• Start-up manager and staff are hired: 12/08• First National SPIRIT 2.0 Workshop: Fall 2011

Center Builds Upon:NSF SPIRIT (1.0 and 2.0)Silicon Prairie Initiative for Robotics in IT

• New Robotics Platform

• Teacher Training (Robotics)

• National Curriculum Efforts

NSF 4H Robotics and GIS (ITEST)Silicon Prairie Initiative for Robotics in IT 2.0

• Summer and After School Programs

• Developing Special Curriculum Resources

• Using Lego Mindstorms NXT Kits

http://www.ceen.unomaha.edu/TekBots/http://4hset.unl.edu/itest/index.php

How can you help us get there?1. Provide ideas, suggestions, criticisms 2. Review developing lessons of key teachers 3. Review developing lesson modules for writing team4. Help us figure out the cyberinfrastructure strategies5. Help us with formative and summative evaluation reports6. Help us figure out the Center operational process7. Help us connect to new ideas, literacy, and other possibilities8. Tell us that we are not insane…just a bit crazy9. Other possibilities?

Final Comment:

“We have not succeeded in answering all of your problems. The answers we have found only serve to raise a whole set of new questions. In some ways, we feel we are as confused as ever, but we believe we are confused on a higher level and about more important things.”

Omni Magazine, 1992