Exploring the Design and Testing of an off - Screen Educational Robotics Curriculum for Early Childhood STEM Teachers in Plateau State
Zipporah Pewat Duguryil, Henry David Katniyon & Dakup Ibrahim Longmut
Tetfund Centre of Excellence in Innovative Teaching and Learning, Federal College of Education, Pankshin Plateau State, Nigeria
Abstract
An experimental research design was used to design and test Educational Robotics (ER) curriculum for pre-service teachers in Federal College of Education Pankshin. The population for the study consisted of all NCE one students in the department of early childhood offering the course Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics STEM (ECE 124) in the 2023/2024 session. A Sample of 60 Pre service NCE teachers were selected. A robot car was constructed low cost kits in the robot design stages. The instruments used were the Robot Parts test (which will assess robotics knowledge) and secondly the Solve-Its tasks (which will assess robots design competence). Treatment lasted for 4 weeks. Data was collected and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results indicated that 50% of our participants did greatly in identification, 10% had never seen some of the components and a 55% has ever use the components in this project exercise. This implies that pre-service teachers are novice to robot part and use Also, participants were very competent in robot design process activities and robot base cutting. Participants also showed average competence in Robot stage cutting, construction of rollers and fixing of robot parts. They however showed only fair competence in coupling of robots parts. Findings indicate that the teachers designed robots have high educational value and are age appropriate. The robots are averagely complete in form, ease of use motion and durability. The designs however have low compliance to safety. It was recommended amongst other that Teacher training colleges should organised in-service training to improve teacher competent in handling engineering and technology parts and programming of STEM robots.
Keywords
STEM Educational Robotics curriculum, Robots Design, Robots Testing
Reference
Cirfat A B, Katniyon, H. D. & Duguryil, Z. P. (2022). Integrating digital technologies in the early childhood classroom: how competent are in-service undergraduate teachers? KIU Interdisciplinary Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(3), 59-70.
Eguchi, A. (2016). Robotics in education: A review. Journal of Robotics, 1-13.
Elkin, M., Sullivan, A., & Bers, M.U. (2016). Programming with the KIBO robotics kit in pre-school classrooms. Computers in the Schools, 33:3, 169-186.
Fabiyi, S. D. Abdulmalik, A. O. & Tiamiu, H. A. (2016). Introducing robotics into Nigerian secondary schools curriculum: likely impacts challenges and possible solutions.
Katniyon, H. D. Duguryil, Z. P. & Ladan, N. (2023). The future of science teaching: Pre- primary teachers’ knowledge of educational robotics in STEM learning in Plateau state. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Sciences, VII (V)
Khodabandeh, F. (2022). Exploring the viability of augmented reality game‑ enhanced education in WhatsApp fipped and blended classes versus the face‑to‑face classes. Education and Information Technologies https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11190-6
Lerch, Beverly (2018). 7 Reasons Why robotics should be taught in schools. https://blog.robotiq.com/7-reasons-to-teach-robotics-at-school
Sullivan, A., & Bers, M.U. (2015). Robotics in the early childhood classroom: Learning outcomes from an 8-week robotics curriculum in pre-kindergarten through second grade. International Journal of Technology and Design Education. Online First.