Hands-on Learning of Programming Concepts Using Robotics for Middle and High School Students

In this paper we present our experiences over the past year on developing educational materials for computing using robotics and their effectiveness for middle and high school students. Though there are likely many factors contributing to recently observed declines in undergraduate enrollment in computer related fields, student attitudes towards the field may play a significant role. A multifaceted approach using educational robots to introduce programming concepts to middle and high school students was developed as one technique to address this issue. The initiative included a teacher workshop to prepare local area educators to deliver computing concepts to their students and the development of associated educational materials to aid in student learning. The project culminated with a Robotics Programming Competition and Showcase in which the participating students demonstrated what they had learned. Results from surveys administered during the showcase indicated that the initiative was successful in improving student attitudes towards computer science, especially regarding confidence and intent to persist in the field, and provided useful information towards future program refinement.