Need help with research on STEM education

[jasononoda]

So I'm working on a project and was hoping to get some help from the CD community. Especially at this point in the season, a lot of teams are working on getting everyone prepared for this year's upcomming game. I'm doing research right now on ways robotics is being taught and evaluating the effectiveness of thse methods.

What I'm looking to do is to spend 10-15 minutes of your time via a phone call or by skype to ask a few questions about the training programs your team has in place.

If you're interested in helping out, please visit http://goo.gl/forms/gzeDXJIExy and fill out the quick informational survey. With the info you provide, I'll work with you to coordinate the call. Also, for those within the LA, Seattle, and Pittsburgh area, I am more than willing to meet up in person too! I'll be in LA for the kickoff and Seattle the week prior. Since I'm currently at Carnegie Mellon University for grad school, I can meet up anytime outside of the upcoming winter break too.

Looking forward to chatting with everyone!
Jason

[DaveL]

I'm happy to help out.
I'm in Sammamish, WA if you are interested in visiting.

[Rich Kressly]

Are you interested in robotics education in a broad sense or only educational efforts that stem from/include FRC teams?

The broader net will get you much more significant data. Let me know if you are interested in that broader net - robotics in k-12 american education (and worldwide) is a booming and thriving enterprise in its broad sense.

[jasononoda]

Thank you to everyone so far who has filled out the google form for your willingness to help! I'll be getting in touch with everyone over the next day or two. I'm definitely looking to talk to as many as I can in the community to get various perspectives. Doesn't matter if you're a seasoned veteran of the competitions or brand new.

Originally Posted by DaveL

I'm happy to help out.
I'm in Sammamish, WA if you are interested in visiting.

Definitely! I'll send you an email to coordinate a time to chat.

Originally Posted by Rich Kressly

Are you interested in robotics education in a broad sense or only educational efforts that stem from/include FRC teams?

The broader net will get you much more significant data. Let me know if you are interested in that broader net - robotics in k-12 american education (and worldwide) is a booming and thriving enterprise in its broad sense.

The overarching project will definitely be covering robotics education in a broader sense. Just like you, I too have noticed the uptick of interest on a global level; even more so within the US. FIRST has been fortunate in being one of the recipients of this windfall, hence the inquiry here versus anywhere else right now. Would you maybe be available this Friday to chat about your views on the landscape?

[jasononoda]

A huge THANK YOU to everyone that I've talked to so far! Your stories and insights have been a tremendous help in trying to figure out effective strategies, lessons learned, and some of the issues you're facing with growing and developing your teams. I also look forward to chatting and visiting with more of you at the LA kickoff!

For those who haven't signed up but are willing to chat for a bit, please fill out the form at http://goo.gl/forms/gzeDXJIExy. 15-20 minutes is all I ask (though longer is ok too if you want to chat more).

As a mentor of 8 years with 3 different teams and now back in graduate school at CMU, I'm trying to figure out what can be done to make the education part for teams easier. I know the needs varies greatly across all the teams, but I believe a majority of the issues teams face are not unique. If these elements can be identified, then maybe an effective solution can be created.