Why Student Should Learn about Robotics?

  

Robotics has been in the news a lot recently. There's lots of concern that robots will take the place of humans in lots of jobs. There's also the issue of artificial intelligence turning against humans. Children need to understand robotics to give them as much choice as possible about what they do as adults.
Robotics, and technology in general, isn't just a 'nice to have' extra-curricula subject. It's central to where humanity is headed.

Robots are a big part of the future
It's generally accepted that children should learn about science from a young age because it explains how the world (and beyond) works. Technology and increasingly robotics has become such a big part of modern life that the same argument applies. Children who understand how robotics works will have more options in society. They will be more able to, literally, control the world around them. Society as a whole will benefit if more people understand how robots work and don't see them as mysterious black boxes. 
I think it's much easier to argue that children don't need to learn about creative writing that it is to argue that they don't need to learn about robotics. (I'm not arguing that creative writing isn't important though, I think storytelling may actually become more important if humans manage to free up some of their spare time through clever use of robotics.)At present there are lots of adults who have very little understanding of technology and are almost afraid of it. Do we want a future where a large majority have that attitude to robots? Taking a look inside the box and understanding how robots work demystifies the technology and removes that fear. This is going to be increasingly important as robots play more of a role in society. 

Robots are changing the jobs market

Robots are already replacing jobs is very visible ways. Garages,gas stations and supermarkets are becoming automated. 
It's not just low-skilled jobs that are being replaced. Robot surgeons are being developed and even robot doctors that can assess symptoms with access to a vast amount of information that a human just couldn't process.
More jobs will involve working alongside robots, programming robots, procuring robots, maintaining robots and creating and customising robots.
It's important to understand that it's not just about the children who will become professional roboticists. Many other disciplines will have applications in the robotics industry. And many other disciplines will need to apply robotics within their industry. And educators will need to teach the subject too.

 

 

 

 

Why Students NEED to Learn Robotics

1. Robotics is Tangible
Today's young people are immersed in technology, but the most of that technology is intangible and difficult to conceptualize. Young students often have difficulty learning how to program iPhone games or design websites because those technologies are fundamentally abstract and intangible. In contrast, students can connect with robotics quickly because they are able to touch the robots and manipulate them directly.

For example, in an abstract setting it is difficult for students to understand the concept that every object has a 'center of gravity'. When learning this concept, students at ALLBOT kit are able to have the tangible experience of easily toppling a robot that is too 'top-heavy' while not being able to so easily topple a robot that has been build with a sufficiently low center of gravity. Having directly experienced the concept of 'center of gravity' rather than simply being told about it, these students are able to utilize the concept as a design consideration when building their own robots.

2. Robotics Builds Confidence 
By building with robots, students are able to create their own devices and gadgets that interact with the world. This is a profound and empowering experience, which greatly impacts students. These students learn that they can control the world around them by building machines.

This instills confidence in students. Specifically, it instills technological competence. After learning ALLBOT, students who grew up with smartphones and iPads learn to see technology not as an immutable aspect of their environment but rather as a tool that they can manipulate in order to achieve specific ends. This subtle change in perspective can have a profound impact on students' futures.

3. Robotics is Fun
At learning ALLBOT, students learn to see robotics as a fun hobby rather than as a strictly educational activity. Because of this, students are willing to engage deeply and creatively with the challenges and activities they are given. In a way, these students come away with a love of learning because they have realized that they need to learn the concepts we teach in order to build the robots that they imagine.

4. Robotics is Creative
Traditional robot sets come with handy-dandy instruction manuals. Unfortunately, these instruction manuals can become a crutch for students who don't yet trust their own creative imaginations. At Learning ALLBOT, the goal is for students to learn to set aside the instruction manuals. Eventually, students learn that their own imaginations are the most powerful 'instruction manuals' ever to exist. It help students to reach this realization by guiding them through creative activities and ensuring that they can experience success. There is nothing more empowering than the experience of imagining something, building it, and then ultimately watching it work.

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