Skip to main content

The Evaluation of Robotics Activities for Facilitating STEM Learning

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Robotics in Education (RiE 2017)

Part of the book series: Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing ((AISC,volume 630))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

We used the theory of planned behavior to predict students’ intentions to choose STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in the transition from middle school to high school after participating in robotics activities. We found that students’ attitudes towards STEM were not as high as expected, although most of them expressed an intention to choose future study of STEM. Then we interviewed teachers on their attitudes on the effect of robotics activities on choosing to study STEM, and checked if the activities actually led to an increase in students choosing STEM. We found positive results for both questions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Ajzen, I.: Perceived behavioral control, self-efficacy, locus of control, and the theory of planned behavior. J. Appl. Soc. Psychol. 32(4), 665–683 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Ben-Bassat Levy, R., Ben-Ari, M.: Adapting and merging methodologies in doctoral research. Comput. Sci. Educ. 19(2), 51–67 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Ben-Bassat Levy, R., Ben-Ari, M.: Robotics activities-is the investment worthwhile? In: 8th International Conference on Informatics in Schools, pp. 22–31 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Carter, L.: Why students with an apparent aptitude for computer science don’t choose to major in computer science. SIGCSE Bull. 38(1), 27–31 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Gibbons, S.J., Hirsh, L.S., Kimmel, H., Rockland, R., Bloom, J.: Middle school students’ attitudes to knowledge about engineering. In: International Conference on Engineering Education, pp. 1–6 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kaloti-Hallak, F., Armoni, M., Ben-Ari, M.: The effectiveness of robotics competitions on students’ learning of computer science. Olympiads Inf. 9, 89–112 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Kaloti-Hallak, F., Armoni, M., Ben-Ari, M.: Students’ attitudes and motivation during robotics activities. In: Workshop in Primary and Secondary Computing Education, pp. 102–110 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Margolis, J., Fisher, A.: Unlocking the Clubhouse: Women in Computing. MIT Press, Cambridge (2003)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  9. Markham, S., King, K.: Experiences, outcomes, and attitudinal influences. In: 15th Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, pp. 204–208 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  10. McGill, M.: Learning to program with personal robots: influences on student motivation. ACM Trans. Comput. Educ. 12(1), 1–32 (2012). Article 4

    Google Scholar 

  11. Zur Barguri, I.: A new curriculum for junior-high in computer science. In: 17th Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, pp. 204–208 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Israel Science Foundation (grant 912/13).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mordechai Ben-Ari .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

About this paper

Cite this paper

Ben-Bassat Levy, R., Ben-Ari, M. (2018). The Evaluation of Robotics Activities for Facilitating STEM Learning. In: Lepuschitz, W., Merdan, M., Koppensteiner, G., Balogh, R., Obdržálek, D. (eds) Robotics in Education. RiE 2017. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 630. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62875-2_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62875-2_12

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-62874-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-62875-2

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics