Projects:2015s1-17 Analysis of Electrical and Software Design in the Effectiveness of Robotics STEM Outreach Programs

Note: Due to the participation of Department of Education and Child Development (DECD) schools in this project, the names of any robotics kits cannot be mentioned; as such all kits will be referred to by a letter, e.g. Kit A.

Project Information

The aim of this project was to analyse a number of different robotics kits, to determine which is the most effective as a learning tool for students and to assess what kit features influenced the effectiveness of each robotics kit.

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

Project Background

The robotics industry is seen by some economic forecasters as becoming the next big boom industry [1]; as such Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) outreach programs have used the availability of robotics kits to run programs with an aim of getting more children interested and involved in STEM fields. With robotics having ‘been shown to be a superb tool for hands-on learning’ [2], the aim of this project was to analyse a number of different robotics kits, to determine which is the most effective as a learning tool for students and to assess what kit features influenced the effectiveness of each robotics kit.

Project Method

Before we could explore the technical aspects of this project we first defined what effectiveness, as a learning tool would refer to for this project. We established that a robotics kit would be considered an effective learning tool if it met the following criteria:

• The kit and software challenged the students to think and problem solve when attempting tasks without being too easy or too difficult

• The kit would be affordable, relative to its level of performance. For example, if there were two kits, one that was cheap and one that was expensive, if the students were found to perform tasks with the cheaper kit at a similar but slightly decreased level to the expensive kit, then the cheaper kit would be considered more effective as more students are likely to be able to have access to them. Alternatively, if the more expensive kit clearly out-performs the cheaper kit, then it is obviously more effective even though it costs more.

• Finally, the students had to find the kits engaging and interesting; most importantly the students had to have fun with the robotics kit and want to use them.

Survey

The students were asked to complete a survey we developed after their 60-minute workshop with the robotics kit. The survey was compiled of two types of questions- open questions, where the participant responds using their own words- and closed questions, where the participant chooses from a list of predetermined responses [18]. Our survey had a majority of closed questions, as responses to closed questions provide data that can be statistically analysed that helped us in determining any trends that were present in student responses between the different kits. The closed questions were aimed at determining the student’s prior experience with robotics kits and to find out their opinions on their experience with the robotics kit they used. These questions were aimed at determining what aspects of the robotics kits they found particularly hard or easy and if the robotics kit they used had any issues or areas for improvement. The open questions we had in our survey were to potentially provide responses that we had not anticipated [20]. These questions were aimed at determining what aspects of the robotics kits they found particularly hard or easy and if the robotics kit they used had any issues or ideas for improvement.

The ratio of open to closed questions was aimed at making the survey quick and simple for the students to complete and upon request by the University of Adelaide’s Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematic Sciences (ECMS), a further question was included in the survey asking for the students’ gender, so that we could assess if there were any differences between task performances and interest levels for male and female students.

References

[1] P. Turner.(2009).“Why Use Robots in Education...” Educational Technology Solutions. [On-line]. Available at: http://www.tribotix.com/EducationInfo/WhyRobotics.htm [9/4/2015]

[2] M.J. Mataric, N. Koenig, D Feil-Seifer. (2007). “Materials for Enabling Hands-On Robotics and STEM Education” [On-Line] Available at: http://robotics.usc.edu/publications/media/uploads/pubs/536.pdf [8/5/2015]

[18] N. Thayer-Hart, J. Dykema, N.C. Schaeffer, J. Stevenson. (2010, Dec.) “Survey Fundamentals”, Office of Quality Improvements, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA.

[20] A. Fink. (2010). “Survey Research Methods”. Education Research Methodology: Quantitative Methods and Research. University of California, USA. pp.152-160