Robotics 101: How to Integrate Creative Robotics Into Your Teaching

Outline

Total Session Length: 60 minutes

1. Welcome and Overview (10 minutes)
Content:
Introduction to the session speakers, schedule, and objectives
Highlight the importance of using robotics to develop key skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and computational thinking in students

Engagement:
Audience Poll: Use hand signals to gauge the participants' current comfort level with robotics in their classrooms.
Quick Discussion: Ask participants to share with a neighbor what robots (if any) they have in their classrooms and what challenges they face when using them.

Time: 10 minutes

Process:
Interactive Polling: Participants respond in real-time about their experience and comfort level with robotics, providing a starting point for understanding the audience's background.
Peer-to-Peer Interaction: Brief partner discussions to get participants comfortable with sharing their thoughts and experiences; and to begin building collaborative relationships for future PLNs.

2. Why Robotics in the Classroom? (10 minutes)
Content:
Explain how robotics fosters creativity, computational thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration in students.
Present research-based benefits of robotics in K-12 education, focusing on skill-building and student engagement.
Spend time discussing the realities of underrepresented groups in STEM-based careers, and how greater access to robotics can impact this issue.
Share case studies of robotics use in the classroom and their impact on both student and teacher outcomes.

Engagement:
Case Studies: Present short, real-world examples and quotes detailing how creative robotics is used in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms to enhance learning in various subjects (e.g., science, math, literacy).
Q&A: Allow for 2-3 quick questions from the audience to clarify concepts or dive deeper into specific benefits of robotics.

Time: 10 minutes

Process:
Visual Case Studies: Use videos or photos of classroom robotics projects to visually engage participants.
Interactive Q&A: Allow participants to ask questions to ensure the content is relevant and clear.

3. Hands-On Robotics Exploration (25 minutes)
Content:
Introduce specific robotics tools and how they can be used to support learning across different subjects.
Demonstrate a variety of simple academic activities involving robotics that can be implemented in classrooms with minimal setup.
Allow participants time to explore with mobile robotics, create new robotics kit projects from provided materials, and explore programming pre-made projects. All robots and programming devices will be provided.

Engagement:
Device-Based Activity: Each group or individual will be given access to a robot and a programming device. Participants will explore multiple activities connecting to different academic subjects.

Time: 25 minutes

Process:
Hands-On Learning: Participants will actively work with robots to explore how these activities can be applied in their own classrooms. They will work individually or in small groups.
Collaborative Problem-Solving: Encourage participants to troubleshoot and test their activities in real time. Peer-to-peer collaboration is essential to foster engagement and creative thinking.
Facilitator Guidance: The session leader will walk around, providing assistance and answering questions as participants explore the robots.

4. Classroom-Ready Robotics Activities (10 minutes)
Content:
Present a toolkit of classroom-ready robotics activities across different subjects, such as math, science, literacy, and the arts.
Demonstrate how these activities can be easily adapted to various age groups, learning objectives, and available technology resources.

Engagement:
Resource Sharing: Provide participants with links to downloadable lesson plans, activity templates, and programming guides for different levels of student engagement.
Small Group Discussion: Participants will discuss how they would adapt at least one of the activities to their own teaching context (grade level, subject, or classroom environment).

Time: 10 minutes

Process:
Resource Distribution: Participants will receive digital access to the activity toolkit through a QR code or a link.
Collaborative Adaptation: Small groups will brainstorm and share ideas on how to modify or extend a given activity to suit their specific classroom needs.

5. Wrap-Up and Next Steps (5 minutes)
Content:
Recap the session’s key takeaways: how robotics can be integrated creatively and practically into classrooms, how to align robotics with curricular goals, and how to start using underutilized robotics equipment.
Provide links to further resources, such as robotics-focused professional learning communities, online courses, and curriculum guides.

Engagement:
Final Q&A: Open the floor for final questions or reflections from participants.
Action Steps: Ask participants to write down one actionable next step they plan to take after the session (e.g., an activity they want to try, a resource they will explore).

Time: 5 minutes

Process:
Interactive Wrap-Up: By inviting participants to share their next steps, you ensure the session has lasting impact. Encourage attendees to ask final questions or connect with peers to solidify their plans for integrating robotics into their teaching.

Overall Engagement Tactics:
Peer-to-Peer Interaction: Group discussions and activities will encourage participants to collaborate and share ideas throughout the session.
Hands-On Exploration: Participants will actively engage with robotics tools, exploring how they can apply them in their classrooms.
Robotics Activities: Real-time interaction with robots or simulations will help participants gain practical experience with the technology.
Resource Sharing: Participants will leave with a digital toolkit of lesson plans and ideas that they can immediately implement in their teaching.

Summary of Time Breakdown:
Welcome and Overview: 10 minutes
Why Robotics?: 10 minutes
Hands-On Robotics Exploration: 25 minutes
Classroom-Ready Robotics Activities: 10 minutes
Wrap-Up and Next Steps: 5 minutes

Supporting research

Articles and Research Papers:
"The Impact of Educational Robotics on Student STEM Learning: A Systematic Review"
Author: Fabiane B. V. Benitti (2012)
Description: A comprehensive review of how robotics enhances STEM learning, providing a foundation for using robotics in classrooms to build problem-solving and computational skills.
Link: ScienceDirect - Educational Robotics

Books:
"Coding as a Playground: Programming and Computational Thinking in the Early Childhood Classroom"
Author: Dr. Marina Umaschi Bers (2018)
Description: This book offers insight into using programming and robotics to develop computational thinking and creativity in young students, making it highly relevant for educators looking to integrate robotics into teaching.
"Design, Make, Play: Growing the Next Generation of STEM Innovators"
Editors: Margaret Honey and David E. Kanter (2013)
Description: A collection of strategies and insights on how creative, hands-on learning approaches, including robotics, can drive student engagement and innovation in STEM subjects.
"Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence"
Author: Joseph Aoun (2017)
Description: Explores how robotics and AI will transform education, and why teaching students creative and technical skills through robotics is critical for future success.

Recognized Experts:
5. Dr. Marina Umaschi Bers
Position: Professor at Tufts University, Department of Child Study and Human Development
Contribution: Leading researcher in the field of early childhood robotics and computational thinking, author of multiple books on integrating robotics into education.

6. Dr. Mitchel Resnick
Position: Professor of Learning Research at MIT Media Lab
Contribution: Creator of the Scratch programming language; focuses on creative learning through technology and robotics, providing foundational insights into integrating robotics into education.

7. Dr. Sylvia Martinez and Dr. Gary Stager
Book: "Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom"
Contribution: Leaders in the "maker movement" in education, which heavily integrates robotics, engineering, and hands-on learning approaches into classrooms to inspire innovation.
Link: Invent to Learn