Abstract:

The activity of robot building and programing is introduced in the first semester general physics-I course to enhance student participation, motivation, and effective learning. Students design and build a robot that can carry out several functions to enhance project-based collaborative learning of fundamental physical concepts such as speed, acceleration, rotational speed, angular velocity, linear and angular momentum, electric motor power and energy transfer, etc. Students learn about the sensors and actuators in the robot and how to utilize them to manipulate the motion of the robot. The students collaboratively learn physical concepts, build the robot, program the robot using estimated parameters to perform assigned tasks, tabulate data, analyze data, modify parameters and reprogram to achieve perfecting the robot to perform the given tasks, and complete writing a final report. During the process the students make measurements of various physical quantities and learn modeling, simulation, and programming. At the end of the semester one class period is allocated to demonstrate the robot to perform the assigned tasks, explained the physical concepts used, and submit a final report. Ten percent of the class grade is allocated for the group activity of robot building and programing.

The students in the class were divided into groups consisting of four students in each group. The students were given chance to select the members in their group. Each group is given a robot kit and the assignment of tasks the robot needs to perform. Ten different project assignments were developed using the kinetic concepts for the students to build and program the robot, demonstrate the assigned task by the robot by the end of the semester, and submit a written report. It has been asserted that the purpose of group project is not only designing, programing, and performing assigned task by the robot but also to interact each other for collaborative learning and problem solving. Time to time, the students were enquired of this aspect of collaborative learning and encouraged those were not actively involved in group learning to be proactive. The study indicates that the group activity of robot building and programing helped the students to develop their engineering design and computer programing skills, group learning skills to study physics concepts, and increased their motivation to study.

Acknowlegement:
This work is supported by CMAST grant from National Science Foundation (NSF).

Keywords:

Robots, General Physics, Physics Concepts, Group Learning, Robot building and programing.