Projects:2015s1-17 Analysis of Electrical and Software Design in the Effectiveness of Robotics STEM Outreach Programs
Contents
Project Information
The aim of this project was to analyse a number of different robotics kits, to determine which are the most effective as learning tools for students; with particular emphasis on what specific kit features result in the higher effectiveness.
To test each robotics kit a series of workshops were run in schools with eighth grade students, having the students attempt to complete ten tasks with a robotics kit in 60 minutes. We determined that we required approximately 80 students to test each different kit to achieve a 90% confidence interval. The tasks were designed by the project team having researched lesson plans and robotics kits tasks currently available. The ten tasks were aimed to test the basic functions of the kits utilising key features such as motor movement, the use of sounds and obstacle and line detection; with the tasks to become progressively more difficult as the students progress. The time taken for the students to complete each task was recorded as well as the total number of tasks the students could complete in the 60 minutes. Once the students had finished the workshop with the robotics kits, they were asked to complete a survey we designed to gather their opinions on the robotics kit.
Project Team
Supervisors:
- Dr Braden Phillips
- Dr Hong Gunn Chew
Researchers:
- James Cadzow
- Benjamin Hayton
