Using robotics educational module as an interactive STEM learning platform

In traditional teaching methods of teaching science and engineering, students lack experience of applying physical principles to real time physical situation required in these disciplines of study. Students are not engaged to create interest in learning through interactive activities. Lack of interest combined with shortage of practical experience in learning eventually leads them to failure to keep up with the grades expected of them or even can lead to increased rates of attrition in science and engineering disciplines. To overcome this problem, we present a novel and versatile interactive learning tool using data logging capabilities of Robotic Educational Module of Lego NXT. In the present work, we describe the method of Robotics-based educational tool to study electrical conductivity of liquids, body resistance, and Newton´s law of cooling. The details of the method - designing and building a robo-based physical system, programming, data collection, analyzing data, calculating and interpreting results are given. The method has been demonstrated to K12, and undergraduate student participants of summer camps. The Robotics-based educational tool can be used for teaching or for learning and can be extended to several other areas of science and engineering.