Children Learning Technological Design With Physical and Digital Robots

• In Event: Technology-Supported Learning in K-12 Science

Abstract

There is a growing national focus on STEM education, but unfortunately young children rarely have the opportunity to participate in activities related to technology and engineering in the classroom. Using a constructionist framework, we examined how first grade students used skills associated with technological design through programming physical and screen-based robots. In particular, our research focuses on the process of problem solving based on the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996) abilities of technological design for grades K-4. Transcripts from videotape records were analyzed qualitatively. Our findings indicate that students engaged in the four stages of problem solving: identifying problems, proposing solutions, implementation, and evaluation. Results from our study support the need for and benefits of K-12 engineering education.

Authors

• Katherine Joy Nilsen, University of California - Santa Barbara

• Danielle Boyd Harlow, University of California - Santa Barbara