Robotic Education in Schools

Vinod Kakumanu
Sept. 12, 2019, 10:29 p.m.

We are moving towards an era when man- made machines are overpowering the lives of men.Several movies on robots were made depicting scenarios where equipment made by a man becomes a reason for his downfall. It is ironic that men get immersed in technology and create things to put it into his service but unfortunately the same thing becomes a cause for his destruction. In the 21st century, Japan is considered as the land of rising robots and monozukuri is a term used for manufacturing industries in japan which mainly focus on deployment of various techniques which supports in its development. In recent times, its main focus has been on creation of robots to meet the needs of people. Of all the countries worldwide, japan is the leading manufacturer in robotics field. This industry is the top most in terms of shipment of services and operational units. In the global market share, Japan has dispatched around 3.4billion-yenworth robots in the year 2012 which encompasses 23% of global market share.

During a phase when technology is driving our lives, it is imperative to educate ourselves with the ongoing advancements and changes. There is a branch called robotic engineering and some of the top most universities that offer these courses are Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania etc. India is not far behind as Indian Institute of Science (IIS), Bangalore, Birla Institute oftechnology, National Institute of Technology etc. have created a space for students who are interestedto get in touch with the new found technological advancement.It is important that we preparestudents for the future and when these are taught in schools or colleges, they would also be able to contribute in creating a pro-tech world.To learn this course, students should have a taste for subjects like mathematics and science and when it is taught through robotics can be more engaging and effective. Such a research- based method would make a child more creative and foster his thinking ability which would produce innovative minds.

A curriculum called STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is highly dominating the market scenario and it is said that this kind of teaching would be more beneficial for robotic engineering. The trend might get stronger in the future with jobs mostly will be in need of STEM knowledge. Robotics gives students the authority to cultivate problem solving and high-order thinking capabilities and introducing robotics at an early stage in the school educational curriculum, they can build interest in this field and strengthen their talents.

Building a robot is not that the figures may make it appear. One should have a sharp-sighted vision while making it and it also involvesdrawing, model construction, testing and controlling a robot calls for the ability to give exact inputs. A strong, well-managed team is an essential requirement to this kind of job. Students would get a chance to groom themselves by learning about teamwork, leadership skills so on and so forth.

Even though India has some institutes that provide robotic engineering but not many are aware about it. The insufficient knowledge among people about robotics make it difficult to fill the seats in schools or colleges. Schools as a centre of learning,have not changed much over the years. The teacher-led instruction and theoretical learning is still the first choice for majority of institutions which makes children to get less exposure of new technologies. Saying that, change is happening but not on a very large scale, since we say slow and steady wins the race, we can hope that society would turn into a technological zone in the coming times.Economic barriers might be the reason for its non-inclusion in schools. Nonetheless, now the cost of its equipment has fallen down making it cheap and affordable and thefiscalquestion is not as relevant in today’s time. Some stories are heard of young rising talents who have displayed their creativity in assembling their own robots often from scraps thus increasing its popularity. Such stories are a great inspiration for budding talents to polish their creativity and interest.

How Robotics Can Aid Education:

While thinking of robots an image of a humanoid figure would pop up in our minds. Sophia, a humanoid robot had been doing rounds in the media since 2016. This was a successful venture by Hong Kong based company Hanson robotics. Sophia is a “young woman” with delicate eyes made its first media appearance in United States who can actually display 50 facial expressions. She has also given many interviews on tv channels making her popular among a wide range of audience.There is an attempt to invoke the importance of artificial intelligence in schools by engaging students in learning environment where they are encouraged to make decisions and instil a sense of independence in them.Schools are supposed to recognize this trend and get students enthusiastically into a world of robotic education to culture them towards its progress. It could be a great chance for them to get an entry into a whole new world to master in problem solving, logical thinking and programming.

Various Ways to Prove Robotics a Beneficial Entity:

1.Inordinate ideas:When ideas and creativity go hand in hand students would be able to come up with great inventions which is the result of an innovative mindset.

2. great way of engagement:It is a fact that when we get immersed in doing something, we lose the track of time and get immersed in our work. Practical or workshops would help children in knowing how much they have understood new techniques.

3.Become a pro at programming: if students are new to computer programming, this is a great opportunity to learn it and hone new skills.

Setting up standards with changing times is the whole motive of imparting knowledge. There is no other way where children would be exposed to new arenas of learning to build a society which is way beyond anyone’s imagination. Getting used with technological standards is sometimes difficult to perceive but with sheer dedication and hard work one could shine in their glorious achievements.