Exploration in Robotics: Outreach to Secondary Education

This article presents an integrated approach for incorporating robotics into secondary education wit h the objective of further engaging students through an e xciting application of math and science. One of the princi pal objectives of this university based outreach effort is to promote the creation of independent programs at the secondary school level in New Mexico by providing a structured set of resources from which the schools may begin. These resources include an adaptable mobile robot kit with detailed do-it-yourself on-line instructio ns, various web-based course offerings with material directed t o both secondary students and teachers, and a personnel su pport structure including college engineering faculty, se condary teachers, practicing engineers, undergraduate engin eering students, and junior-high and high-school students.