The power of the robot – STEM in the 21 century

A peak into the future through developing students’ STEM skills

Dr Debora Lipson

Medical robots

Robots for war

Robots for peace

Claims re robotics in educationClaims that construction and programming robots provided a rich learning environment with embedded Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics skills and concepts.What I saw:- students found their way around engaging with heavy scientific concepts unless the teacher delivered focussed teaching along the way.Often the teacher wasn’t fully aware of the embedded science either. So what STEM ideas are embedded in a robotics environment?

Initial observations

There is a need to understanding what a robot is and what it can doStages in working with robots Construction Programming Group workDiagrammatically this looks like this…

Simplistic diagram of the field of Robotics in Education

Robotics

Construction

Group work

Programming

Stages of discovery through research

Initial program – developmental challenges and familiarisation with LEGO material.

Challenges involved :-1. Longest connected length2. Shortest connected length

Included measurement not using conventional tools

3. Tallest, stable tower4. Strongest weight bearing bridge

Science skillsPhysics concepts of Mechanics (Statics) including:- Structures Strength Stability Statics Balance Centre of gravity Problem solving Collaborative discussions and construction

Linear stacking Provides minimal strength and stability Lack of strength as built higher Skill:- vertical construction and linear

thinking

Brick Pattern Can build higher and provides strength, but is it balanced?Skill:- stacking both vertically and horizontally results in planar construction and planar thinking

• 3-dimensional construction• Developing both strength and

stability• Can build higher• Skill:- spatial thinking

Conservation of volumeAllows opportunity to examine and establish conservation of volume

Further Science skillsPhysics concepts of Mechanics (Dynamics) including:-Moving structures involves the use of simple machinesThese are:- Gears, levers and pulleysWith gears students need to understand Descriptions Definitions Delineation of skills

Gears – science and mathematical skills and concepts

Connectivity – gears must be connected to work Causality – moving one gear moves the connected gear Direction of rotation – paired connected gears rotate

in opposite directions (clockwise and anti-clockwise) Ratio of radii to circumference – intuitively larger

radius means larger circumference Ratio of planar gears – ratio of number of cogs is

inverse relation to ratio of turns i.e. 8:24 cogs means 3:1 turns

Spatial connectivity of compound (3D) gears Ratio of compound (3D) gears Circumference for distance traveled – relating linear

distance to circumference turned

Research groups

Research on two subsequent years of teachers enrolled in a Masters of Education course doing the unit Educational Programming Environments

Personal learning and investigations over 20 years teaching in this area at school and university

Filling out these categories (from the research)

Robotics

Construction:-• Spatial thinking skills• Problem solving skills• Physics concepts of

Motion• Creative view of robot

usesGroup work:-• Collaboration• Group dynamics• Synthesis of ideas

Programming:-• Language• Logic• Problem solving• Analysis

Evaluate(Progressive construction until last iteration)

Expected result

Goal /Idea

Construction of model through manipulation of material(Progressive construction until last iteration)

Assimilatory and Activity components

Model Generation

Compare to goal/ideaYes

Requires further construction

Monitor cycle

Cycles of revision - construction

Positive cycle of revision

Goal /Idea

Construction of model through manipulation of material(Progressive construction until last iteration)

Assimilatory and Activity components

Evaluate(Progressive construction until last iteration)

Expected result Modify cycle

Compare to goal/idea No

Reconsideration of construction

Modify construction Yes

No

Redesign construction

No

Modify objective/goal

No

Yes

Construction failure

Control cycle

Model Generation

Negative cycle of revision

Cycles of revision -construction

Now what STEM skills are needed in the 21st century? Watch this short 5 minute clip about

students developing their stem skills in 6 days using another medium of Little bits

http://littlebits.cc/high-school-students-invent-stem-video

Notice the language used as developers and inventors

Challenges current traditional schooling practice to develop students thinking out of the box and solving real life problems.

Inventors in STEM in 6 days

Day Focus of work and activitiesDay 1 Students learnt about R&D and explored existing

products

Day 2 Students did research about child development

Day 3 Drawing from research developed blue-prints or schematics

Day 4 Built prototypes

Day 5 Tested and corrected prototypes

Day 6 Shared their inventions through developing n advertising campaign

Did the claims match the research?

It was found that:- This is a rich learning environment with

embedded STEM skills and concepts. There is a need for teachers to

continuously encourage students persevere with their construction designs, and

There is a need for teachers to direct their students to engage with the embedded skills, concepts and knowledge.

Finally:- what are the STEM skills embedded in a LEGO robotics environment?

Engaging for all ages and both genders Challenging thinking Across discipline areas Related to human endeavour to enable

females to relate Promotes collaboration at an early age Promotes creativity through construction

for new uses of robots.