Using Robotics to Support Sustainability

By Devin Partida

STEM educators have numerous tools at their disposal to keep students engaged with technology. It’s necessary in a tech-driven world, where students crave modern interactivity to maintain their attention and process concepts. Robotics is steadily becoming commonplace in classrooms as incorporation simplifies complex ideas and promotes sustainability to youth.

What can robotics offer STEM educators wanting to convey sustainable lessons to their students, and how can robots make a greener planet?

How Robots Can Be Used in Autism Therapy

By Shannon Flynn

People are increasingly interested in how robots can help humans. From manufacturing facilities and complicated surgical procedures to preventing loneliness among older people and other isolated individuals, the possibilities are endless. Another area of significant interest relates to how robots could supplement therapy for people with autism. This approach is a developing option, but it’s already proving its worth.

How to Secure Funding for STEM Extracurriculars

By Devin Partida

Maybe you have an amazing idea for a STEM extracurricular project, but you simply lack the budget needed to make it a reality. Here are the words you probably don’t want to hear: You have to write a grant proposal. Though it may seem daunting, as an educator, you already have the necessary skills to draft a compelling grant submission and secure the funds you need. Let’s get started.

Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Robotics

By Carol Grace 

Compared to other careers, underrepresentation is rampant in STEM-related roles. According to job statistics by Pew Research Center, Black and Hispanic workers remain underrepresented in various STEM occupations, only making up 8-9% of STEM jobs. This share is lower in specific job clusters, such as engineering and architecture, with only 5% of black workers making up the total workforce. While women comprise 50% of the STEM workforce, 74% are healthcare practitioners and technicians — making other fields vastly outnumbered by men. With robotics highly dependent on computers and engineering, it’s unsurprising that diversity in the industry is at an all-time low.

Using Robotics to Teach About Cybersecurity

By Devin PartidaPhoto by Dan Nelson on Unsplash

Curricula must shift for educators to create a well-informed next generation of cybersecurity analysts. Though robotics is an umbrella containing many branches, K-12 teachers can use robotics to teach cybersecurity more effectively than other subjects.

How Crucial Is Artificial Intelligence to the Rise of Ed Tech?

By Ellie PoverlyImage Source: www.unsplash.com 

Anyone in the education sector knows that new technologies are poised to revolutionize the traditional classroom.

In the past few years, educational institutions have adapted to a new normal brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents, students, teachers and administrators had to remain flexible, adjust to virtual learning environments and adopt new digital technologies to facilitate learning.

Although the industry is still reeling from the adverse effects of the pandemic, the global disruption sparked major growth in one relevant sector: education technology (ed tech).

A primary example of ed tech is artificial intelligence (AI), which has already proven itself as a highly useful, effective tool with various applications and benefits. How important is AI in supporting the rise of the ed tech market? Will more K-12 and secondary education institutions adopt AI-based solutions in the future?

The Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation integrates a robotics AI LAB for entrepreneurs

The implementation of the lab will provide entrepreneurs with real world experience in robotics and artificial intelligence.

September 1st, 2022 – San Francisco, CA – The Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation (“Levan Center”), in partnership with RobotLAB, the leading educational robotics company, partnered to build an artificial intelligence and robotics lab.

Programming in elementary with cubelets

What are people saying about CUBELETS, the new robotic teaching aid from start-up Modular Robotics (a spin-off from Carnegie Mellon University, with funding from the National Science Foundation)? Time Magazine called them “one of the most interesting and accessible robots on the market today...  a great way to teach kids about how robots work without actually having to solder or know anything about programming.”

Online magazine MakerShed, the magazine of do-it-yourself (DIY) digital projects, says “...we love Cubelets! These magnetic robot building blocks snap together and don’t require any programming, making it easy for anyone to build their own robotic creation. What could be more fun?”

Cubelets in the Classroom -- A Recipe for Education and Play

Mr Jaravata gets it!  Engagement is the key to learning. Nothing engages kids like robots! And CUBELETS are engaging robots from which young kids can both enjoy and learn.

Fred Jaravata is a San Francisco Bay area educator who realizes that robots are the way to kids' minds. 

According to his blog post ‘Our Students Playing With Cubelets,’ he recently decided to try CUBELETS after a period of working with Lego Mindstorm.  He didn’t tell the kids much about the cubes he was giving them and kept directions to a minimum; he wanted to see what would happen naturally.

For those of you not familiar with CUBELETS,  every cube  has a different function. Some move the robot, some sense temperature or distance, some act like a flashlight. The cubes snap together magnetically and the trick is to snap them together in a fashion that forms an autonomous robot capable of movement in tune with its environment as indicated by its sensors. Kids have made everything from slithering snakes to writing robots with them.

Bringing the MakerBot 3d Printer into the Classroom