Social Robotics: Promoting Gender Equity in Computing Through Hands-On Robot Programming

• In Event: Poster Session 15
  In Poster Session: STEM Education in K-12 and Higher Education

Abstract

Although robot building projects have become more popular there has been little effort to examine how the idea of social robotics can be integrated into experiences for children. Social robotics entails builders becoming a design community and robots interacting with an environment and other robots. A workshop was designed based on tenets of social robotics and provided to 190 children in middle grades to determine gender effects on knowledge and interest related to computing, robotics, and careers in technology/science. Results indicated positive impacts for girls. Prior to the workshop, girls reported significantly lower interest in technology/science careers and in robots. However, following participation, girls had essentially “caught up” to boys and no significant differences between the genders existed.

Authors

• Jennifer Goodall

• Nick Webb, Union College

• Eugene Judson, Arizona State University