Think back to when you were a child. Do you remember spending hours building and creating? Did you play with LEGO™s? Maybe you even participated in a robot building contest? How did this experience affect your curiosity and creativity skill?
LEGOs and robotics are being used as a transformative way of learning Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) mainly in primary and secondary schools. LEGOs are also being used in pre-schools to develop creativity skills for children. Research has shown that the use of educational robotics increases students’ academic achievement in specific STEM concept areas and promotes cooperative learning and problem solving skills. Some studies also underscore robotics’ potential to engage females and underserved youth in learning STEM subjects.
Similarly, new technologies in computer programming and electronics are transforming the way that students learn how to work in these fields, as well as improving their problem solving and creativity skills. Delivery mechanisms of these technologies also help children learn not only STEM subjects but also art and design (jointly called “STEAM”, A for Art). And the fact that many of these tools are built on an open source platform allows teachers to create a community of practice and to learn from each other.