ORCID Identifier(s)

0000-0003-3233-4825

Graduation Semester and Year

2016

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Computer Science

Department

Computer Science and Engineering

First Advisor

Carter Tiernan

Second Advisor

Manfred Huber

Fourth Advisor

Jean Gao

Abstract

Engineering disciplines (such as biomedical, civil, computer science, electrical, mechanical) are instrumental to society’s wellbeing and technological competitiveness; however the interest of K-12 American students in these and other engineering fields is fading. To broaden the base of engineers for the future, it is critical to excite young minds about STEM. Research that is easily visible to K-12 students, including underserved and minority population with limited access to technology, is crucial in igniting their interests in STEM fields. More specifically, research topics that involve interactive elements such as Robots may be instrumental for K-12 education in and outside classroom. Robots have always fascinated mankind. Indeed, the idea of infusing life and skills into a human-made automatic artefact has inspired for centuries the imagination of many, and led to creative works in areas such as art, music, science, engineering, just to name a few. Furthermore, major technological advancements with associated societal improvements have been done in the past century because of robotics and automation. Assistive technology deals with the study, design, and development of devices (and robots are certainly among them!) to be used for improving one’s life. Imagine for example how robots could be used to search for survivors in a disaster’s area. Another example is the adoption of nurse robots to assist people with handicap during daily-life activities, e.g., to serve food or lift a patient from the bed to position him/her on a wheelchair. The idea of assistive technology is at the core of our piloting Technology Education Academy. We believe kids will be intrigued by the possibility to create their own assistive robot prototype, and to make it work in a scenario that resembles activities of daily life. However, it is not enough to provide students with the equipment necessary since they might also easily lose interest due to the technical challenges in creating the robots and in programming them. In fact, achieving these goals requires a student to handle problem-solving skills as well as knowledge of basic principles of mechanics and computer programming. The Technology Education Academy has brought UT Arlington, the AISD and the Arlington Public Library together to inspire young students in the East Arlington area to Assistive Technology, and provide them easy-to-use tools, an advanced educational curriculum, and mentorship to nurture their skills in problem solving and introduce them to mechanics and computer programming.

Keywords

Robotics curriculum, After-school program, Active learning, Experiential learning

Disciplines

Computer Sciences | Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

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