Engagement with Robots: Building a Social, Self-paced, Online Robotics Course
Abstract: This paper reports on the design and implementation of a successful self-paced undergraduate course in robotics, delivered fully online, designed to maximize student freedom as well as social interaction Self-paced courses are free of the scheduling and time constraints of traditional class-based courses, but this usually comes at the cost of social engagement and the benefits of peer interaction, and often constrains teachers because departures from the predetermined course design and content are impossible once a course is in progress Teaching robotics in a fully online environment also presents many challenges when compared with a physical classroom or workshop, because the robot itself plays a significant role in the learning process The solution presented here combines a variety of innovations that empower both learners and teachers to help one another to learn independently online
Presider: Rick Richardson, Idaho State University