(33a) Lego Robotics—a Tool for Integrating K-12 Outreach, Freshman Engineering and Service Learning

The LEGO^® NXT robotics system has been employed for the past six years within the Swalm School of Chemical Engineering at Mississippi State as a multi-faceted tool in our K-12 outreach program, our freshman chemical engineering classes and as a means for engaging our chemical engineering students in service learning activities.  This integration of activities, all surrounding the LEGO^™ Robotics system (coupled to Vernier^® sensors and probes and “in house”-designed apparatus) has engaged students at all levels, from middle school through chemical engineering seniors in an exciting, “studio-based” environment.  Anecdotal evidence suggests students readily “latching onto” key concepts and various aspects of engineering through this “multi-modal” learning approach.  Objectives of this method of program integration include: 1) strengthened recruiting of students to engineering studies, 2) better “visualization” of engineering concepts among chemical engineering freshmen and 3) a stronger sense of the need for life-long learning and community service among our engineering undergraduates.

The use of LEGO^TM Robotics serves as a means for increasing student interest in STEM topics through highly visual, active learning.  Among the benefits realized with this system are 1) the use of a platform familiar to many students (i.e. LEGO building components); 2) “seamless” integration of hardware and software systems (i.e. all the parts “fit”); and, 3) minimal startup delays resulting in easily understood symbolic software package and hardware components that facilitate “rapid prototyping” of devices (students can quickly design and build projects from their imaginations).

This paper reports on the current state of this effort and provides some evidence for its success.  We also report on the efforts’ strengths, weaknesses and planned improvements.