TY - GEN
T1 - Integrating robot design competitions into the curriculum and K-12 outreach activities
AU - Avanzato, Robert Louis
PY - 2009/12/1
Y1 - 2009/12/1
N2 - The Penn State Abington campus has integrated several mobile robot design competitions into project-based design activities to provide enhancement for undergraduate engineering and information sciences and technology courses and also to provide outreach to K-12 institutions. The robot competitions, which encourage interdisciplinary design, teamwork, and rapid prototyping, support a wide range of educational outcomes in a variety of courses. A survey of undergraduate students was also implemented to identify the key lessons learned and overall educational quality of the robot competition activities. Overall, the responses on the quality of the robot competition experience were very positive. The strategic selection and implementation of robot design competitions, such as described in this paper, provide a cost-effective approach to enhancing the curriculum, promoting retention, and encouraging interest in science and technology (STEM) careers in K-12 students.
AB - The Penn State Abington campus has integrated several mobile robot design competitions into project-based design activities to provide enhancement for undergraduate engineering and information sciences and technology courses and also to provide outreach to K-12 institutions. The robot competitions, which encourage interdisciplinary design, teamwork, and rapid prototyping, support a wide range of educational outcomes in a variety of courses. A survey of undergraduate students was also implemented to identify the key lessons learned and overall educational quality of the robot competition activities. Overall, the responses on the quality of the robot competition experience were very positive. The strategic selection and implementation of robot design competitions, such as described in this paper, provide a cost-effective approach to enhancing the curriculum, promoting retention, and encouraging interest in science and technology (STEM) careers in K-12 students.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78349247571&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=78349247571&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-642-03986-7_32
DO - 10.1007/978-3-642-03986-7_32
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:78349247571
SN - 3642039855
SN - 9783642039850
T3 - Communications in Computer and Information Science
SP - 271
EP - 278
BT - Progress in Robotics - FIRA RoboWorld Congress 2009, Proceedings
T2 - 12th FIRA RoboWorld Congress on Progress in Robotics 2009
Y2 - 16 August 2009 through 20 August 2009
ER -