Teaching Algorithms and Growing STEM with Sphero

Description

• Difficulty Level: Medium
• Target Audience: 6th Grade - College
• Duration of workshop: 60-90 minutes
• Needed Material: A classroom set of Spheros, Sphero EDU app,Sphero EDU website teacher account, a 36 in. x 48 in. foldable foam board, and a 36 in. x 48 in. plywood
• The primary goal of this project is educating others about algorithms by programming a robot through a maze using Sphero EDU.
• Sphero is a small robot ball that moves around by either remote control or code you feed it. This workshop is geared towards educating and creating interest in the IT field for non STEM majors. By engaging in our workshops, students will get to experiment with Sphero.edu and block coding, which allows them to learn about algorithms through relatable examples.
• The Technology Ambassador Program (TAP) at GGC strives to break the misconceptions of the IT field by providing fun workshops for students of all backgrounds. TAP students design engaging and fun outreach workshops to encourage interest in IT and STEM.

Commercial Video

Click the image below to watch a 30 second commercial for the project

Team

• Ammar Mehicevic
• Etienne Laccruche
• Tony Lam

Advisors

• Dr. Cindy Robertson
• Dr. Anca Doloc-Mihu
  
  

Team Photo

(Left: Tony Lam, Middle: Ammar Mehicevic, Right: Etienne Laccruche)

Publications

1. Tony Lam, Ammar Mehicevic, Etienne Laccruche, Anca Doloc-Mihu, Cindy Robertson. Teaching Algorithms and Growing STEM with Sphero, Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges: Southeastern Region (CCSC:SE), November 3-4, 2023, Conway, SC.
2. Tony Lam, Ammar Mehicevic, Etienne Laccruche, Anca Doloc-Mihu, Cindy Robertson. Teaching Algorithms and Growing STEM with Sphero, CREATE Symposium, November 30, 2023, Georgia Gwinnett College.

Outreach Activities

1. Tap Expo, Oct 10, 2023, GGC – To promote IT field and the TAP program to college students
2. Super Saturday Series (S3), Nov 9, 2023, GGC – middle school students to promote IT and STEM career
3. Class Workshops – October 26th, November 13th, November 14th, 2023, GGC - promote IT field to non-IT college students

Similar Projects

Sphero Projects

• Ball Is Life
• Dancing Sphero

Cozmo Projects

• Wanda
• TechGoldFish

Technology

Sphero is a robotic ball that can be programmed in the Sphero EDU app. The Sphero EDU app uses block coding similar to Scratch.

Classroom set of Spheros	Sphero Robot	Sphero EDU website

Project setup/Installation

Installing Sphero EDU

For instructions on how to install Sphero EDU please use the pdf file linked below.

Creating a Teacher Sphero Account

For instructions on how to create a teacher sphero account please use the pdf file linked below.

Video

Creating a Classroom and Adding Students in Sphero Edu

For instructions on how to create a classroom and add students please use the pdf file linked below.

Video

Creating a Program in Sphero Edu

For instructions on how to create a program please use the pdf file linked below.

Video

Construction

For instructions on how to build the maze please use the pdf file linked below.

Short demo

Below is a link to a 5 minute video walkthrough of our workshop that anyone with a sphero can do.

Workshop Instructions