Robotics learning as a tool for integrating science-technology curriculum in K-12 schools

Technology literacy for all on one hand and continuous demand for skilled technology engineers and workers on the other hand, poses a challenge to education systems worldwide. Recent years show efforts to integrate technology into all levels of the school curriculum. The work presented here introduces one possible approach to familiarize 5th to 6th grade pupils with high level technology using a mobile robot as the principal tool in the curriculum. Children construct an open ended, autonomous robot while working in teams (6 per team). Each team is divided into sub-groups that represent the various skills needed for the construction and operation of the robot. They use a flow-chart software as their programming frame. At first, the teams are given simple missions, and as they progress, they are challenged with open-ended, more complex assignments. Each weekly session lasts about three hours of which a third is devoted to knowledge expansion and the rest for testing and construction. During the test phase, pupils perform experiments for deducing device properties (sensor, motor, control method, etc.). They add the device of their choice to their mobile robot system. As a typical open-ended problem, the team explores possible solutions to each problem. Then they are expected to define their solutions and implement Them. At the end of the year there is a contest between robots built by the various teams, to accomplish a predefined task.