iRobot Host of STREAM 2009 Robotics Education Workshop
On June 25 and 26, 2009, iRobot hosted the STREAM 2009 workshop. In partnership with the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council and the University of Massachusetts Lowell, iRobot designed the workshop to expose educators to the many ways robotics can act as a tool for their instruction related to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). STREAM 2009 is a component of iRobot’s larger initiative dedicated to fostering elementary, middle, and high school students’ interest in STEM subjects. iRobot is committed to aiding teachers as they work to ensure that America’s future is strongly rooted in math and science.
STREAM 2009 was comprised of two, full-day sessions. Forty-eight K-12 educators from around the state of Massachusetts participated in four hands-on sessions on using robotics in science, technology, engineering, and math instruction.
The science session, “Real-World Science Using iSENSE,” was led by Prof. Fred Martin of University of Massachusetts Lowell and Sam Christy of Machine Science. Participants carried iSENSE data collectors outside of the building to measure temperature, noise levels, and light levels. They uploaded their data to the iSENSE website where they could view it and share it with others.
The technology session, “LEGO Mindstorms,” was led by Melissa Pickering of the Tufts Center for Engineering Education and Outreach. Participants built and programmed LEGO robots to drive over letters outlined on the floor in black tape; by graphing the data from the robot’s light sensor, the teachers were able to identify “mystery” letters just from the robot’s data alone.
The engineering session, “Modeling Systems: An Engineering Advantage” was led by Michael Bastoni of GEARS Educational Systems. In this session, participants worked in teams to build a pneumatically-actuated catapult based on virtual and mathematical models.
The mathematics session, “Algebra Immersion Robotics,” was led by Ricky Carter and Chris Hancock of Tertl Studios, LLC. Participants examined concepts such as proportions and linear and nonlinear functions by programming the iRobot Create platform to drive, turn, and respond to sensor data.
The workshop also featured talks from Massachusetts teachers who have used robotics in their classrooms, Chris Beaton from Ashland High School and Barbara Bratzel from the Shady Hill School, as well as speakers from local industry: Ted Acworth (Artaic), Benge Ambrogi (Kiva Systems, Inc.), Kevin Brooks (Motorola), Joe Jones (Harvest Automation), and Joyce Plotkin (Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council). These speakers were very well-received, and teachers had many questions about the use of robots in Massachusetts classrooms and companies.
Additional sponsors of the STREAM 2009 workshop were the Commonwealth Alliance for Information Technology Education (CAITE), SIM Boston, and The MIT Press. To learn more about the agenda for STREAM 2009, please visit: http://stream.cs.uml.edu/.
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