A Pre-Engineering Program Using Robots to Attract Underrepresented High School and Community College Students

This paper gives an overview of a new pre-engineering program—Robotics Technician Curriculum—that uses robots to solicit underrepresented students pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The curriculum uses a project-based learning environment, which consists of part lecture and part laboratory. This program at Baltimore City Community College is offered in collaboration with Pace University and Morgan State University. The effectiveness of the program over time will be measured from the survey responses from the students and by external evaluators, peer evaluation, evaluation of projects, and analysis of enrollment data. The assessment strategies are described and its implementation is discussed in this paper. This program serves as a model and a STEM approach is valuable in preparing students for STEM careers. Index Terms CADD, computer information systems, collaboration skills, education, electronics, programming, LEGO Mindstorms, robot, robotics, technical programs, Tetrix, training Introduction Robotics is a technology that is in high demand in the private, governmental, and military sectors. Many high-technology areas remain underrepresented, especially for African Americans. Engineering, like robotics, is another field where African American and other minorities (defined here as Hispanics and Native Americans) have been traditionally underrepresented (Lam, Doverspike, and Mawasha, 1997). National Science Foundation (NSF) data revealed that in 2000 only 7.5% of engineering and science technicians were African American (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005). This percentage is considerably lower than the 12.2% national population of African Americans (Conrad, 2006). To increase the number of African American technicians, more African Americans must be trained in emerging technologies such as robotics. In addition, the undergraduate engineering enrollment, retention, and success rate for African American students at community colleges and at four-year institutions must be significantly increased. Many underrepresented students have difficulties in taking technology courses because of limited math skills and limited knowledge in technology (Office of Institutional Research and Planning, 2006a). Many colleges have responded to this problem by offering a variety of pre-engineering math and science programs in an effort to promote the pursuit of undergraduate STEM education. The objectives of these programs are to facilitate an increase in enrollment with concurrent retention of underrepresented students, defined here to include the following: (a) African American, (b) Hispanics, (c) Native American, and possibly (d) Asian-Pacific. In addition, those students who meet the federal income and/or first-generation college criteria (neither parent having earned a bachelor’s degree) can participate in these pre-engineering math and science programs. Other noteworthy goals for such projects include: • Strengthen the self-confidence of under represented students • Improve students’ cognition via concrete hands-on labs • Increase awareness of the student to pursue a career in STEM disciplines • Provide pre-diagnostic testing in mathematics for potential college students so as to determine their deficiencies prior to their enrollment in college Founded in 1947, Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary. BCCC currently enrolls more than 12,000 credit and non-credit students in three main locations and in more than 80 offcampus learning sites at churches, community centers, schools, and businesses. BCCC currently enrolls 30% of the Baltimore City Public School System graduates (more than any other Maryland college or university). Ninety percent of BCCC’s student body is African American (Office of Institutional Research and Planning, 2006b and Maryland Association of Community Colleges, 2007). In 2007, BCCC, Morgan State University (MSU), and Pace University were awarded an NSF grant to establish a 36-month Robotics Technician Curriculum (RTC). The RTC will be designed to do the following: • Increase the technical proficiency of underrepresented and disadvantaged students from BCCC significantly • Facilitate a 4-year career pathway option to MSU • Involve an information technology and robotics employer relationship with Juxtopia, LLC In addition, BCCC RTC graduates will be prepared for employment with both private and government employers (e.g., Lockheed Martin, Ft. Meade, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, and so forth). The purpose of this paper is to describe this unique and innovative pre-college curriculum that uses robotics within its engineering courses to improve the STEM educational process for 9ththrough 12th-grade students. This pa-