Using robotics to achieve meaningfully engaged learning

Abstract

There has been a significant decline in the number of college students choosing majors in computer science or technology related fields. Additionally, within the United States, there is an achievement gap between under-represented minority students and majority students at a time when underrepresented groups are becoming an increasing proportion of the national labor force. This reluctance to study Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines must be confronted and changed if the United States is to maintain a competitive position within the global market. Effective use of learning technologies is vital to solving many of our current STEM learning challenges. We use robotics as a technology tool to captivate and engage students in learning computer science concepts. Robotics engages multiple modes of learning, including: sensory, perceptual, and cognitive information processing.