Faisal, A., & Kapila, V., & Iskander, M. G. (2012, June), Using Robotics to Promote Learning in Elementary Grades   Paper presented at 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, San Antonio, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--22196

\bibitem{asee_peer_22196}
  Faisal, A., \& Kapila, V., \& Iskander, M. G. (2012, June), \emph{Using Robotics to Promote Learning in Elementary Grades }
  Paper presented at 2012 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, San Antonio, Texas.
  10.18260/1-2--22196

Akim Faisal, Vikram Kapila, and Magued G. Iskander P.E..  "Using Robotics to Promote Learning in Elementary Grades ".  2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, San Antonio, Texas, 2012, June.  ASEE Conferences, 2012.  https://peer.asee.org/22196 Internet.  21 Dec, 2024

\bibitem{asee_peer_22196}
  Akim Faisal, Vikram Kapila, and Magued G. Iskander P.E..
  "Using Robotics to Promote Learning in Elementary Grades ".
  \emph{2012 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, San Antonio, Texas, 2012, June}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2012.
  https://peer.asee.org/22196 Internet.  21 Dec, 2024

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_22196
author = "Akim Faisal, Vikram Kapila, and Magued G. Iskander P.E."
title = "Using Robotics to Promote Learning in Elementary Grades "
booktitle = "2012 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition"
year = "2012"
month = "June"
address = "San Antonio, Texas"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/22196}
number = {10.18260/1-2--22196}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -             Using Robotics to Promote Learning in Elementary GradesIn many elementary classrooms, the teaching and learning methods that educators use do notconform to the way many students like to learn. This state of affairs persists despite a growingunderstanding in the scientific and educational communities about how students learn. In fact, inan on-going STEM educational enrichment program, in third and fourth grade math and scienceclassrooms of an urban school, teachers’ pedagogical approaches and students’ preferredlearning methods were found to be in conflict and an attempt was made to remedy the situationwith the use of robotics.At the start of the school year, a two week classroom observation revealed that teaching andlearning in the classroom environment was vastly different from the way students learn bythemselves or at home. In-class pedagogy consisted mainly of teachers taking charge ofclassroom activities and lessons. Specifically, classroom teaching can be categorized as beingtheoretical, text-book driven (problems and examples), and chalkboard problem demonstrations.Incidentally, these teaching methods are prevalent not only in elementary grades but pervadefrom elementary schools to higher education in college. In contrast to the aforementionedteaching methods, students learn in vastly different manners. For example, many students learnvisually since it reduces their cognitive load. Moreover, students learn effectively through topicsthat are interesting, unique, and relatable to them. Another parameter that affects learning is theattention span of younger students since they can easily loose focus. Finally, student interactionand participation can affect how much students learn in class. To summarize, while studentsprefer learning visually and through interaction and participation, teachers use theory, textbooks,and problem demonstration.This effort has focused on using robotics as a tool to bridge the gap between the way studentslearn and the way teachers teach. First, robotics is being used as a powerful tool to capture theattention of students and interest them in learning. Second, robotics is providing students anincentive to engage in their learning rather than be bored by disconnected facts, equations, andtheories. Third, robotics activities are providing an interactive learning environment wherestudents feel more comfortable rather than just working on problems assigned in class. Fourth,use of robotics is allowing students to engage in hands-on activities which enable them toeffectively retain and recall concepts being taught in math and science classrooms with greaterease.This paper will present details of an illustrative math lesson that teaches unit conversion toelementary grade students using robotics. In addition, results of pre- and post-activityassessment, including statistical analysis, will be provided to illustrate the effectiveness of thelesson.
AU  - Akim Faisal
AU  - Vikram Kapila
AU  - Magued G. Iskander P.E.
CY  - San Antonio, Texas
DA  - 2012/06/10
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Using Robotics to Promote Learning in Elementary Grades 
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/22196
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--22196
ER  -