Robotics is a field of science that is rapidly transforming our lives. Remotely controlled military aircraft have impacted the country's approach to foreign policy. The use of robotics has also been proposed as a solution for taking care of the aging population, compensating for a shortage of human caretakers.
In response, a new undergraduate course is being developed for non-engineering majors to address the need for general competencies in ethics, science, technology, and business - through the application of robotics. The course is designed to help majors in business, education, marketing, economics, etc., to think critically about issues created by the complex interactions among these broad and seemingly disparate topics. Participants in the course are studying the history, mechanics and software, and applications of robots to analyze the related ethical, social, and economic issues. The unique feature is the participants are using hands-on assignments with a Lego Mindstorms kit to explore non-technical issues. In the main project, each student must develop a robot solution, make a prototype to demonstrate the solution, and then synthesize a review of the technology along with the potential societal impact.
The hands-on exercises focus on the fundamentals of robotics involving: robot motion, robot intelligence, and sensing. They teach the key concepts that provide students with a better understanding of the underlying capabilities and limitations of modern robot systems. The course ties the knowledge to the uses of the technology and highlights the decisions that students are likely to face as future business, political, or education leaders and as consumers.
The course is being monitored and updated using formative and summative assessments including a modified "Views on Science-Technology-Society" tool. The project is following a detailed evaluation plan that is studying explicit and measurable outcomes. The course materials - including video lectures, instruction manuals, and assignments - are published on the university website for open source use.
BROADER SIGNIFICANCE The project is creating a best-practices example of how to use robotics as a tool for general undergraduate education. The developed courses are providing a broad education that is necessary to understand impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts. Although delivered in the context of robotics, the tools taught in the course are general and can be used to impact a broad range of science and technology. The project is helping produce a cadre of technology savvy citizens who are prepared to make decisions about future technology. The proposed robotics thread is generating enthusiasm and fostering participation by undergraduates, providing them with the knowledge base and confidence to explore other science or technology topics.
