Do K12 robotics activities lead to engineering and technology career choices?

Abstract

Student engagement is a necessary but complicated variable within STEM education, especially when dealing with technical curriculum. There are fewer curriculum resources available for teachers which are structured around a Technology and Engineering (T & E) STEM focus, and integrating robotics activities into teaching strategies for technical subjects provides an exciting and relevant learning platform. Experiential, "hands-on", programs that incorporate robotics provide practical experiences that positively influence a student's academic pursuit of STEM, and may help "hook" youth into technical college and career pathways and ultimately, the technical workforce. Students working with robotics have the opportunity to experience a team-based learning environment and are introduced to "real" engineering thought processes using problem based learning approaches on a robot with predictable behavior patterns. Students exposed to these types of experiences in a controlled environment gain an increased appreciation for the application of STEM topics learned in the classroom, and are introduced to the technical and engineering world of work and the challenges and successes that engineering teams face in their careers.