Stormlab for STEM Education

STORMLab for STEM Education An Affordable Modular Robotic Kit for Integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education By Ekawahyu Susilo, Jianing Liu, Yasmin Alvarado Rayo, BACKGROUND IMAGE AND Ashley Melissa Peck, Justin Montenegro, HEXAGONS IMAGE LICENSED BY GRAPHIC STOCK Mark Gonyea, and Pietro Valdastri he demand for graduates in science, tech national priority for many governments worldwide. An nology, engineering, and math (STEM) has effective way to engage young minds in STEM disciplines steadily increased in recent decades. In the is to introduce robotic kits into primary and secondary United States alone, jobs for biomedical education [3]. The most widely used robotic kits, such engineers are expected to increase by 62% by as LEGO Mindstorm [4], VEX Robotics [5], and T2020, and jobs in software development and medical Fischertechnik [6], are composed of libraries of pre science are expected to increase by 32% and 36%, res fabricated parts that are not interoperable among kits from pectively [1]. Combined with an insufficient number of different vendors. As recently surveyed in Kee [7], students enrolled in STEM fields, this will result in about alternatives to these popular kits are either highly modular 2.4 million STEM job vacancies by 2018 [2]. Therefore, but very expensive (e.g., Kondo [8], Bioloid [9], Cubelets increasing the number of STEM graduates is currently a [10], KJunior V2, and Kephera [11]) and unaffordable for the majority of schools, or singleconfiguration and low Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MRA.2016.2546703 cost robots (e.g., AERObot [12], iRobot [13], and BoeBot Date of publication: 9 May 2016 [14]) with a restricted number of activities possible. 1070-9932/16/$33.00©20161070-9932/16©2016IEEE IEEE JUNEJUNE 2016 • IIEEEEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINENE • 47 An affordable solution lite Sputnik. Ever since then, there has been a consistent The robots can be that provides a number push to ensure that students graduate prepared to join of interchangeable mod and lead jobs in scientific and technological research programmed through a ules is littleBits [15]. and innovation. Beginning in the 1990s, coordinated This platform offers a efforts by the National Science Foundation (NSF), other web-based user interface variety of sensing and researchoriented groups, and teacher educators led to actuation modules that the piecemeal adoption of science standards that installed either use magnets to connect, emphasize doing science using rote memorization of but it lacks program facts. Teachers were encouraged to make lessons inqui as a plug-in or mability, thus limiting ry based and handson rather than rely on textbooks students’ ability to learn and direct instruction. an app on the Google about coding. The tools for implementing this type of instruction have In this article, we in tro lagged behind the calls for better instruction. Depending Chrome browser. duce the educational on the age and financial resources of students and the STORMLab Modular school, science materials range from simple boxed kits that Architecture for Cap allow students to verify known phenomena to sensitive sules (eSMAC) robotic measuring devices that work as part of a larger teacher or kit, a lowcost and interoperable robotic kit with a variety studentconstructed investigation. Unfortunately, the tools of functional modules that can be easily connected together that allow studentdriven inquiry tend to come at a much with a snapon threewire magnetic connection. eSMAC higher price than the heavily directed labinabox, leading robots have a 40mm diameter cylindrical footprint, with to a disparaging chasm of equality between schools that functional modules that can be stacked on top of one have adequate funds and those that do not. Vernier mar another. The available modules include actuation, sensing, kets digital classroom measuring devices [19] that work wireless communication, programmable units, and audio/ well and are durable. For a physics lesson involving kine visual indicators. The robots can be programmed through matics, Vernier’s Go!Motion measures and displays posi a webbased user interface installed either as a plugin or tion, velocity, and acceleration to a high degree of accuracy an app on the Google Chrome browser. At the time of and precision. The cost of one motion detector and its req publication, eSMAC robots have been applied to different uisite software, however, exceeds US$350. For a school to educational activities, ranging from a robot soccer game stock a single science classroom with ample motion detec to maze exploration. These activities can be integrated in tors for a class of 25 students to have enough to use in core subjects of STEM curricula, such as physics, com groups, the school would need to spend around US$2,000. puter science, engineering, and math. The eSMAC This is a prohibitive amount for U.S. urban or rural public robotic kit is the educational version of the SMAC schools, as well as for the average suburban private school, design environment [16], [17] that aims to reduce the especially given the fact that nowadays school teachers are barriers for design space exploration in the field of spending an average of US$500 of their own money on medical capsule robots by providing an open source classroom supplies [20]. library of hardware and software functional modules. Most STEM teaching and learning in K–12 grades in the United States has focused on science and mathemat Role of Robotic Kits in Next-Generation ics but very little on technology and engineering. Even Science Standards in schools that teach all four subjects, all are taught as Here, we focus on the recent reform of STEM education in separate subjects instead of as an integrated curriculum. the United States that is occurring with the introduction of This situation will eventually change with new reforms in nextgeneration science standards (NGSS) [18] and on the teaching and learning methods, placing more connection role that robotic kits may play in this new framework. This among STEM disciplines. In April 2013, the National shift in paradigm for education is specific to the United Research Council, the National Science Teachers Associ States, but the same underlying concepts apply to STEM ation, the American Association for the Advancement of education around the world. In the realworld application, Science, and Achieve released the NGSS for adoption by science relies on technology, mathematics, and engineering. state boards of education. In an explicit shift to ensure Engineering itself depends on findings from science and that students know how to accomplish science, the NGSS applications of mathematics. Textbooks and lectures are outline performance expectations that state how students important for teaching, but adding handson connected can demonstrate their mastery of a standard. These per learning may improve understanding of the basic concepts formance expectations are based on the science and engi and, ultimately, engage more students. neering practices associated with the disciplinary core The quality of STEM education in the United States ideas tied to each standard. Furthermore, the perfor has been an ongoing point of concern for policymakers mance expectations are linked to other standards found and educators since the 1957 launch of the Soviet satel in common state standards for mathematics and language 48 • IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE • JUNE 2016 arts. The intent of the NGSS is that students must be able The eSMAC Modular Robotic Kit to participate in the process of exploration and investi gation that underlies science and connect the concepts eSMAC Snap-On Modules they internalize to material learned in other disciplines. The eSMAC robotic kit has been designed to achieve ease Students need a platform to link learning across a variety of use, modularity, interoperability, and low cost. Each of curricula that allows them to participate in the dis module implements a different function and can be con covery process. nected to other modules with the use of three magnetic Just as with prior attempts at making science educa contacts for synchronization, communication, and power tion more hands on and exploratory, the NGSS require delivery. A programmable microcontroller is integrated the proper tools to allow students to engage with their in each module to implement the communication pro environment in a process of discovery and refinement. To tocol and user commands specifically related to the ensure that these tools can reach even the most under module function. funded systems, schools, and classrooms, the tools must In terms of functionality, eSMAC modules can be classi be inexpensive (i.e., from US$100 to US$200 for a class of fied as follows: 25 students) and serve multiple purposes. A robotic kit ● input: analog or digital inputs with sensing capabilities provides the means by which students can control and (e.g., temperature, humidity, pressure, push button) engage their environment on their terms. A modular ● output: analog or digital outputs with indicators (e.g., robotic kit provides a base that can be connected to a light, sound indicators) variety of sensors, actuators, and probes to make that ● mobility: analog or digital outputs with rotational or engagement of the environment robust. Students can translational motion actuators [e.g., directcurrent (dc) determine those modules that are most appropriate for brushed electric motor, dc brushless electric motor, servo their investigation, perform the exploration, refine their motor, muscle wire] results, and repeat the investigation. Thanks to modu ● communication: analog or digital interfaces to commu larity, the same kit can be used by a variety of curricula nicate among blocks (Bluetooth, WiFi) for different handson activities, thus facilitating the ● powering: analog interface with a source of power ease with which students can make connections among (rechargeable battery, coin battery). STEM disciplines. A selection of eSMAC modules is represented in Depending on the intensity of afterschool programs Figure 1.

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