TABLE21: Robotic Whimsy: A Rube Goldberg Learning Experience with Math, Art and Robotics

This presentation is for leaders and educators of all backgrounds and experience levels. No prior knowledge of coding is required, making it suitable for K-12 teachers interested in using robotics, play, and hands-on learning to engage their students or teachers in collaborative learning. Participants experiment with the Finch Robot, a low-cost and versatile robot that can draw, move, make sounds, and more! Participants learn about our NSF Funded grant (ITEST award #2147699) called "Birds and Bots: Promoting learning and interest in mathematics for urban Black and Latinx children through culturally relevant daily robot coding activities. We will share curriculum, successes and challenges so that others may benefit from our work. Educators and leaders use the Finch Robot, a tool for creative, hands-on learning experiences that encourage teamwork, problem-solving, and experimentation. Participants will create a Rube Goldberg chain of activities, demonstrating the power of play to deepen understanding in STEM fields. By applying these principles in the context of a collaborative group activity, leaders and educators will experience firsthand the benefits of active, playful learning. Participants will leave the session with strategies to integrate playful, technology-based learning into their own school environments with students or teachers.