The purpose of the course is to show educators how to use Robotics to create teaching activities in the fields of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). They will explore the elements of common Robotics Kits (including the Lego WeDo and EV3, and the Arduino platform) together with a multitude of sensors, and the ways Robotics can be exploited to get hands-on learning in the fields of STEAM. The course provides teachers with a basis for incorporating project-based learning into interdisciplinary technology-driven instruction in K-12 classrooms.

The course will give participants the opportunity to learn how to inspire their students by implementing exciting, yet feasible, problem solving activities that foster creativity and active learning. Essentially, the course covers how to use robotics as an organizer to teach STEAM concepts.

Target group:

The target group is teachers of either primary or secondary education who want to use robotics to teach STEAM lessons, and to learn how to integrate robot design projects within the K-1 to K-12 curriculum.

This course is best suitable for teachers with little or no programming experience in Robotic Education who would like to learn both the fundamentals of EV3 programming and pedagogy associated with the accompanying  concepts. However, STEAM teachers with programming experience will also find the class valuable for its focus on experiment design, troubleshooting, and robot integration in multi-disciplinary school projects.

Aims:

The course will enable participants to:

• Learn how to use robotics as an organizer to teach STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Art) concepts.
• Learn how to utilize and program robotic sensors in order to teach CS-STEAM concepts.
• Inspire students in experimenting and learning in the context of multi-disciplinary projects by means of sensor/controller programming and data analysis.
• Learn to guide their students in order to collaborate and get familiar with exciting problem solving activities.
• Strengthen student competences in the fields of STEAM.
• Develop and enhance cross-cultural understanding and cooperation among teachers from different countries.

Methodology:

The course is based on collaborative learning utilizing hands-on education, problem solving, project-based learning, and discovery (guided) learning.

Participants get experience working with engineering, mathematical and physics concepts such as estimation, and learn to calculate distance, time and speed. Classmates work as a team of 2 or 3 pupils. The curriculum delivers  true robotics experience from design, project management  to implementation, including building from scratch, true programming structure. Last but not least, the course concludes with either presentation or an exciting mini-contest.

Outcomes:

The participants will learn:

• New strategies for robotics use  and engineering design to enhance classroom learning
• To build simple but exciting robots using the LEGO® EV3 kit
• How to program a robot, using EV3 software
• To collect and log data for experiments
• To create and get involved with robotics projects