Using Robotics as the Technological Foundation for the TPACK Framework in K-12 Classrooms

Abstract

was selected for a three-year term as a Senior Faculty Fellow of NYU-SoE's Othmer Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies. His scholarly activities have included 3 edited books, 7 chapters in edited books, 1 book review, 55 journal articles, and 109 conference papers. He has mentored 1 B.S., 16 M.S., and 4 Ph.D. thesis students; 31 undergraduate research students and 11 undergraduate senior design project teams; over 300 K-12 teachers and 100 high school student researchers; and 18 undergraduate GK-12 Fellows and 59 graduate GK-12 Fellows. Moreover, he directs K-12 education, training, mentoring, and outreach programs that currently enrich the STEM education of over 1,100 students annually. ) to produce the conceptual framework of "technological pedagogical content knowledge" (TPACK 2 ). Specifically, the TPACK framework emphasizes teachers' use of technology to assist students in comprehending content which may be pedagogically challenging. This framework consists of three domains: technology-, pedagogy-, and content-knowledge, and it includes the relationship each makes with one another. Technology, a product of applied science and engineering, is broadly defined to include technological artifacts and the system of knowledge domains, processes, techniques, skills, tools, and organizations to design, produce, and operate such artifacts. 3,4 In this work, we use technology to refer to the authentic and unique tools, techniques, skills, and knowledge of applied science and engineering, which are used by practicing scientists and engineers and can be appropriately adapted to promote learning in a classroom setting. Moreover, pedagogy refers to the different theories associated with effective teaching and learning methods as well as the assessment of student learning. 1,2Finally, content refers to the fundamental concepts, theoretical principles, and organization frameworks of a discipline treated in the learning environment. By exploiting the synergistic interactions among the three knowledge domains of technology, pedagogy, and classroom content, the TPACK framework can allow technology to be used as an effective pedagogical tool for creating and presenting novel representations of disciplinary knowledge that are more readily accessible to students.In this paper, we consider the use of the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 robotics kit to allow teachers to create unique and varied representations of disciplinary content in science and math. The use of robotics in the classroom can generate excitement and encourage participation in STEM learning for a wide range of students. Thus, this paper considers a novel instantiation of TPACK with robotics through three illustrative examples of classroom lessons in physics, biology, and math. Whereas previous TPACK research has focused on teachers' readiness to implement technology, 6 suggested qualitative assessment tools, 7,8 and potential criteria to assess the implementation, 8 this paper puts these concepts into practice, providing descriptions of three lessons, including the ra...

Building Trust in Robots in Robotics-Focused STEM Education under TPACK Framework in Middle Schools

“…Hence, in (1), we ignore the terms ϕ0T(t-1), ϕ2PFR(t-1), and ϕ4FFR(t-1). By assuming that there is no perturbation or uncertainty in the trust assessment, we can also ignore the term u(t) in (1). In this case, the trust model of (1) is simplified as in (2) below.…”

“…However, research efforts to improve STEM teaching and learning outcomes in middle school that employ educational robotics kits, guided by the aforementioned educational research paradigms, are still nascent and include only a few preliminary initiatives. 1,2,22,23 Nonetheless, based on our experience, we believe that leveraging the tremendous potential of robotics for its broad incorporation in STEM education requires teachers and students to develop sufficient trust in robotics. In this paper, by trust of teachers and students in robotics, we mean their willingness to believe in, understand, and accept the solutions provided by robots and to rely on the contributions of robots in STEM teaching and learning.…”

“…Recent research 1,2 has shown that robotics can serve as an effective pedagogical tool in STEM education. Educational robotics kits have been shown to enhance student engagement in STEM content.…”

Middle School Teachers' Evolution of TPACK Understanding through Professional Development

“…The robotics platform has been shown to motivate and reinforce autonomous learning, problem solving, and teamwork through an active learning environment 9 and has been implemented in conjunction with the TPACK framework to develop lessons that address disciplinary STEM content. 10 Specifically, Ref. 10 identified pedagogical issues associated with three STEM topics and developed robotic-based instructional lessons to address the challenges.…”

“…After incorporation of the robotics platform in the classroom instruction, researchers observed students demonstrating collaborative participation, positive social and emotional interactions, as well as improved learning outcomes. 10 In this paper, we examine middle school teachers' development of TPACK through a summer professional development (PD) workshop focused on exploring the design and testing of robotics-focused lessons as well as their alignment with science and math learning standards.…”