Robotics in Schools??
Dated: 7th Sep 2016
The fact I love exploring and trying out new technology tools has led me to experiment with this new tool we have introduced in our school, Lego Kits. Its been hardly a week since I have been working on Robotics with students. My observations on how students use the Lego kits that our school has purchased for Robotic activities, impact on teaching and learning , impact on classroom environment, accessibility of resources, equitable access, assessment and monitoring with robotics, managing kits with students all has compelled me to write this blog post!
Though my research on the internet did led me to some reasons why schools should incorporate robotics? which include students level of engagement while working on Robotics activities is high, which is understood because it lets them think, be creative and imaginative, and actually end up creating a working machine! Second its fun for them, it involves trial and error, experimentation with own thought and ideas. Third, its an effective way to teach programming to students, they actually program the robot, see how it functions, feed instructions, and correct them. Can make effective links to Maths, Science and Engineering. Fourth, this might help them develop skills needed for future jobs , where they might be needed to program mechanical devices. Fifth there is evidence that Robots could be useful in dealing with students with a range of abilities. There are robots designed for students with autism. Sixth, students get a lot chances to participate in various online competitions for example Lego has a number of competitions for students where they actually accept a challenge and build a robot. These include First Lego League Junior , First Lego Tech etc. (Details in links below). 
While skimming through another blog on "Robots in classroom" by Katrina Schwartz, I came across a good range of resources that we could use in our classrooms. One of the kits used is RobotsLab Box which is useful for explaining difficult and abstract concepts in Science and Maths using robots. This kit includes a quadcopter, tablet, robotic arm, a spherical robot, a circular robot and ready made lesson plans to assist teachers. Teachers could easily demonstrate concepts such as quadratic equations, cosines, slopes etc in Maths to students in a way that actually engages students. 
Another interesting resource is VEX . VEX IQ is a snap together robotics system designed to engage students in Science, Technology , Engineering and Math areas. This is an ideal platform for exploring STEM fundamentals and computer science concepts. The system encourages teamwork, problem solving and leadership for young students. This comes with a complete curriculum pack, with resources and activities. The kit includes tool less snap together pieces, gears, wheels, robot brain, IQ controller, bumper switch, gyro sensor, touch led, distance sensor and color sensor. 
Similarly I found the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Robot very interesting, it helps you build, program and command your own robot. You can control, shoot, walk, slam, slither, spin the robot. This kit includes sensors, bricks, motors in one box.
Vikas Gupta CEO of Play -i a nascent robotics company writes in the blog about a robot they have designed which could be controlled with a tablet, used by kids aged 5. He says that even without writing the code students are beginning to develop computational thinking. The break a problem into smaller parts, study individual parts and rearrange them. He further adds that for kids who see technology all around them if we could give them a mental model of how things work is really important.
We see robots being used in everyday life. We hear so much about the new developments taking place in the field of robotics. From planes flying by autopilots, cars being spray painted, robots working in packaged food industry, drones to surveillance cameras used in wars, robots assisting in medical procedures, remote controlled toys, etc. There is no field as such where robots have not made an impact. We see useful applications in almost every field.
My observation of students in this small period of time have highlighted both positive factors, and raised a few concerns that need to be addressed. I have observed students as being very enthusiastic, involved in the tasks assigned, having fun and enjoying themselves, trying and experimenting, learning to work in teams, learning to program etc. My areas of concerns include missing links to curriculum, learning objectives for activities, proper space for such activities, number of resources available, equitable access, monitoring and managing the activities.
I just wish schools or colleges or universities before taking such initiatives which are so costly at least consider the following questions for once, it might result in more fruitful results. Since its not just about equipping the school with tons of technology equipment, its ensuring how usefully this technology be used. Thoroughly analyzing how will this enhance both teaching and learning in school. Some questions to ponder:
Q1. What is the main objective of introducing Robotics in Schools?
Q2. What skills would be enhanced by introducing Robotics to students?
Q3. What are the links to curriculum? links to subjects?
Q4. What would be the assessment strategies in place to assess students learning?
Q5. What are the resources available? are they enough? do they support the existing curriculum?
Q6. How will the teacher ensure equitable access to resources?
Q7. Are teachers trained enough to work on Robotics?
Q8. Does the school have a room allocated for the activity?
Q9. How will learning be monitored in the classroom? any formative assessment strategies?
My list of questions seems to be endless, but they are worth thinking. A few suggestions that could be helpful would be, forming a team of people who study and research on Robotics in Schools, devise plans for grade wise implementation (identify or design various projects), identify resources, identify online competitions, train teachers to use the resources, identify grades where the project could be piloted, monitor and record student responses, their feedback, apply formative assessment strategies, gather data about learning, evaluate in the end whether the project should be carried forward or no.
There should be a complete action plan in place, with clear objectives, roles and responsibilities highlighted, a success criteria in place, resources mentioned along with timelines. Only then will such projects yield some fruitful results! Once successful, schools could have their own competitions, may be conferences engaging students from other schools.
Happy Reading :)
Sheeba Ajmal
References:
http://theconversation.com/five-reasons-to-teach-robotics-in-schools-49357
http://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/flljr
https://bobbycerini.wordpress.com/2010/11/19/10-reasons-for-teaching-robotics-in-schools/
http://kidsnbricks.com/lego-robotics-in-the-school/
http://www.vexrobotics.com/
http://www.damienkee.com/lego-mindstorms-resources/
https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/27/robots-in-the-classroom-what-are-they-good-for/
http://shop.robotslab.com/
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