Designing, Constructing, and Programming Robots for Learning

Book excerpt: The field of robotics in a classroom context has seen an increase in global momentum recently because of its positive contributions in the teaching of science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and beyond. It is argued that when robotics and programming are integrated in developmentally appropriate ways, cognitive skill development beyond STEM can be achieved. The development of educational robotics has presented a plethora of ways in which students can be assisted in the classroom. Designing, Constructing, and Programming Robots for Learning highlights the importance of integrating robotics in educational practice and presents various ways for how it can be achieved. It further explains how 21st century skills and life skills can be developed through the hands-on experience of educational robotics. Covering topics such as computational thinking, social skill enhancement, and teacher training, this text is an essential resource for engineers, educational software developers, teachers, professors, instructors, researchers, faculty, leaders in educational fields, students, and academicians.