Online Robotics Program for Middle Schools

EML 4551 Senior Design Project

Jeancarlo CasasolaDennis DiazEmily Senyk

Advisor: Dr. Sabri TosunogluDepartment of Mechanical and Materials Engineering

PurposeTo develop online robotics courses to

aid middle school students develop interest in STEM fields and gain a greater knowledge in robotics.

This project’s intent is to produce online resources for use in a fully online course.

Develop a robotics kit specifically targeting middle school students.

Why?

The curriculum currently being used in local schools are not structured and encourages students to piece robotics kits together rather than have the students learn the purpose behind each piece.

STEM Initiative

• The President’s 2016 Budget invests more than $3 billion in programs across the Federal Government on STEM education with a goal of preparing 100,000 STEM teachers over the next decade.

• Department of Education (ED) new competitive program invests $125 million to help communities across America launch Next-Generation High Schools that will be laboratories for cutting-edge STEM teaching and learning.

• The National Science Foundation is investing $135 million to improve retention of undergraduate STEM majors and improve undergraduate teaching and learning in STEM subjects.

• The National Education Association plans to raise $1.5 million for an initiative that aims to increase the number of certified science and math teachers and improve STEM instruction.

• 100Kin10 unites the nation’s top academic institutions, nonprofits, foundations, companies, and government agencies to train and retain 100,000 excellent STEM teachers by 2021 to educate the next generation of innovators and problem solvers.

Tasks

● Cooperate with local schools such as Ruben Dario M. S.

● Study M. S. curriculum which will define our design criteria for the robotics program to be developed

● Team up with FIU’s College of Education● Development of robotics kit concepts● Design, test and evaluation of the selected

robotic system● Development of online course modules

Background

• Robotics is a fast growing part of the engineering sectors so primary and secondary schools have taken notice.

• Educational institutions have started on the right path by creating robotics classes and clubs in order to increase the interest in robotics.

• The problem is the lack of a set structured robotics courses.

Products & CostsIndustries from all over the world provide their own robotics kits to ease the learning process. They provide simple interactive problems to help students of all ages complete a specified robotic task.

Lego Mindstorms (USA) : $350-600

Vex(UK): $350-900

Fishertechnik (GER):$ 150-600

• Teams of 3 or 4 to be an optimal size in school settings.

• Obtaining enough kits for a large class can be very expensive especially the current standard science modules now on the market for middle schools.

What Makes Us Different Our objective is to design a robotics kit that will assist schools in enhancing the learning process.

Objectives of the proposed robotics program• Cost effective• Introductory level for middle school

students• Multilingual and global in nature• Simple to manufacture & assemble• Possibly modular

Robotics Program Tools

The robotics program will build on students’ current knowledge and introduce new concepts as appropriate:

• Microcontrollers, servo motors and sensors

• Capitalize on prior programming knowledge

• Online tools (tutorials, projects)

Engineering Standards

• National Science Education Standards: Benchmarks for Science and Technological Literacy

• US Consumer Product Safety Commission: Safety Standard for Children's Toys

• National Science Teachers Association: Safety in Science Classroom, Laboratory, or Field Sites

• National Science Teachers Association: Next Generation Science Standards

Global Initiative

Incorporating global attributes for this project such as:

• Global Units (SI & English)• Multi-lingual translation• Online course content availability • Robotics kit is global and easy to

manufacture

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov DecResearch

Problem StatementProject FormulationConceptual Design

Engineering AnalysisSimulation

Design Evaluation Prototype Construction

TestingFinal Design

Time Line

Conclusion

• Design an innovative robotic tool suitable for middle school students to aid in the development of a robotics program

• This effort will enhance student participation in STEM-related fields consistent with President’s STEM Education Initiative.