Developing the cellbot learning framework (CLF) - An interdisciplinary model for integrating mobile computing with robotics to innovate STEM education and outreach

Mobile computing and robotics have been used as two separate approaches to engage university and pre-university students in STEM education. We are in the process of developing an innovative learning model that combines these two approaches into an integrated framework, where students would learn to make robots and control them via Android applications. By creating these cellbots, students will learn Android app programming and robot building together. Through CLF, we strive to engage both university and pre-university students in a creative environment that enables joint learning of programming logic and engineering concepts. CLF will also serve as an interdisciplinary tool to interface science with engineering. It will further pave the way for building diverse student communities by bonding different learners. The overall goal is to enhance STEM curriculum and outreach activities for recruiting more STEM majors. As part of implementing CLF, we are developing a STEM workshop for high school students, which will consist of hands-on activities on working with BERO (Be The Robot) and designing cellbots. Our future plans comprise of deploying CLF in introductory STEM courses to promote the diverse and interdisciplinary nature of STEM disciplines.