Robotics in the Core Science Classroom: Benefits and Challenges for Curriculum Development and Implementation (RTP, Strand 4)
- Conference
- Location
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Seattle, Washington
- Publication Date
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June 14, 2015
- Start Date
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June 14, 2015
- End Date
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June 17, 2015
- ISBN
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978-0-692-50180-1
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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K-12 & Pre-College Engineering
- Page Count
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16
- Page Numbers
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26.1349.1 - 26.1349.16
- DOI
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10.18260/p.24686
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/24686
- Download Count
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644
Paper Authors
Marion Usselman Georgia Institute of Technology
Marion Usselman is a Principal Research Scientist and Associate Director for Federal Outreach and Research at the Georgia Institute of Technology's Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC). She earned her Ph.D. in Biophysics from the Johns Hopkins University and has been with CEISMC since 1996 developing and managing university-K-12 educational partnership programs. She currently leads up a team of educators and educational researchers who are exploring how to integrate science, mathematics and engineering within authentic school contexts and researching the nature of the resultant student learning
Mike Ryan Georgia Institute of Technology
Mike Ryan is research faculty at the Georgia Institute of Technology's Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC). Mike has expertise in the design and use of project-based learning (PBL) to facilitate standards-based learning.
- Mike is the Co-PI for the NSF-funded project Science Learning Integrating Design, Engineering and Robotics (SLIDER), overseeing curriculum design, teacher learning and research strategy. The project investigates the integration of engineering in science classes to facilitate physics learning.
- Mike is senior personnel for another NSF project, AMP-IT-UP, that is studying STEM integration. He designs curriculum, PD, and strategy for the project.
- Mike is active in designing and researching online learning courses in PBL for educators. Mike has also previously taught secondary science in public schools.
Jeffrey H Rosen Georgia Institute of Technology
After 14 years in the middle and high school math and engineering classroom where Mr. Rosen was working on the integration of engineering and robotics into the teaching of the core curricula classrooms. He has now been at Georgia Tech's CEISMC for the past 8 years working on curriculum development and research on authentic STEM instruction and directing the state's FIRST LEGO League competition program. Mr. Rosen has authored or co-authored papers and book chapters that address issues of underrepresented populations participation in engineering programs and the integration of robotics and engineering into classroom instruction.
Jayma Koval Georgia Institute of Technology
Jayma Koval is a Teacher in Residence at Georgia Tech’s Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC). In this role she has developed middle school science curriculum and assessments for NSF funded projects. Previously, Jayma was a middle school science teacher for 10 years and coordinator of her school’s Science Olympiad team.
Sabrina Grossman CEISMC: Georgia Tech
I am currently a Program Director in Science Education at Georgia Tech's Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC), which is a K-12 STEM outreach center for the university. I am working on several exciting projects including working with the STEM Incubator as Problem Based Learning Specialist and teaching an online course in Project-Based Inquiry Learning. I also work on the SLIDER team developing curriculum to teach physical science with robotics and designing teacher materials to support the implementation of that curriculum. Lastly, I work on the AMP-IT-UP project, which is a NSF Foundation Math and Science Partnership to promote workforce development and to identify and cultivate the next generation of creative STEM innovators. Through my participation in this project, I assist in writing middle school science modules and supporting teachers in their implementation.
Nancy Anna Newsome CEISMC - Georgia Tech
Anna Newsome serves as an Educational Outreach Manager at Georgia Tech for two research projects funded by the Nation Science Foundation. She received a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy from Georgia Tech in 2008. After graduation Anna spent a year working for a private sector event firm before eagerly returning to her alma mater and joining the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing in January 2010. Anna completed a Master of Science in Educational Research with a concentration in Research, Measurement, and Statistics from Georgia State University in May 2013.
Marcela Nicole Moreno CEISMC
Marcela Moreno is an Educational Outreach Coordinator for three National Science Foundation projects, SLIDER (Science Learning Integrating Design, Engineering and Robotics), AMP-IT-UP (Advanced Manufacturing & Prototyping Integrated to Unlock Potential) and Earsketch: An Authentic, Studio-Based STEAM Approach to High School Computing Education. She is also a coordinator for GoSTEM- a collaboration between Georgia Tech and Gwinnett County Public Schools. She graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in History, Technology and Society with a minor in International Affairs. During her undergraduate career, she interned with CEISMC's summer programs division for three years before moving into her current position. She is currently working toward her Master in City and Regional Planning at Georgia Tech with a focus on environmental and health planning. She coordinates events, purchasing, and payments for her four projects.
Abstract
Robotics in the Core Science Classroom: Benefits and Challenges for Curriculum Development and Implementation (RTP, Strand 4) The (****) project at the University of (***) is in the 5th year of developing and implementing an inquiry and project-‐based learning curriculum that is aligned with NGSS and designed to teach middle school physical science disciplinary content and practices using LEGO Mindstorm NXT as the engineering manipulative. Using Design-‐Based Implementation Research (DBIR) methods, the team has documented the curriculum design decisions that resulted from iterative cycles of A) design and creation of materials, B) teacher professional learning sessions, C) enactment by teachers in 8th grade classrooms, D) observation and data collection, and E) problem redefinition and curriculum redesign. These activities took place in a diverse set of schools, ranging from a low-‐income but fairly stable rural school, to a suburban school with a rapidly changing demographic population and high student turnover, to a stable and high performing affluent school. This paper will focus on the benefits and challenges of using robotics, in this case LEGO Mindstorm NXT kits, as a manipulative to teach science content within the core science classroom, particularly within less-‐than-‐optimal, but very common, types of school settings. It will cover the issues of materials management and constraints, resource and time requirements in different settings, variability in student prior knowledge, and the necessary scaffolding of robotic-‐based activities to ensure that students focus adequately on science content. Data sources include design reflections and documentation, classroom observations, project communications, teacher surveys and interviews, and teacher reports of curriculum enactment.
Usselman, M., & Ryan, M., & Rosen, J. H., & Koval, J., & Grossman, S., & Newsome, N. A., & Moreno, M. N. (2015, June), Robotics in the Core Science Classroom: Benefits and Challenges for Curriculum Development and Implementation (RTP, Strand 4) Paper presented at 2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Seattle, Washington. 10.18260/p.24686
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