Bringing Problem Based Learning to Academic Engineering Education using Robotics as the Utility Vehicle

Abstract

The Robinson curriculum uses student defined projects in robotics to achieve two basic goals. First, we are introducing students of engineering and the natural sciences to the field of robotics itself, while teaching the problem-solving skills necessary for their future work and career, Second, we aim to increase technological literacy in students of other fields and high school students (in shorter courses) while attracting more students to modern technology and technologically oriented careers through the interdisciplinary popularity robotics enjoys throughout modern society. Based on the experience gathered in these classic project-oriented courses, we propose to expand the concept, using robotics as the basis for a problem-based learning (PBL) course, concentrating even more on teaching scientific and engineering skills rather than robotics itself. The interdisciplinary of robotics makes it an ideally suited candidate for such an approach as it incorporates skills and knowledge from diverse fields of engineering, the natural sciences and beyond. Such a course teaches engineering students the skills required in their future work place based on problems similar to those encountered in their professional careers.