Implementation of learning by design in a synchronized online environment to teach educational robotics to inservice teachers.

Teaching educational robotics is of growing interest in K-12 settings. Yet, immense efforts are needed to move the field forward by framing the teaching of robotics with pedagogically sound theories as well as appropriate instructional design models and strategies. To meet this need, the authors designed and implemented an online educational robotics course for inservice teachers who had little or no prior experience in teaching robotics, by applying instructional design factors as well as teaching and facilitation strategies derived from the learning by design (LBD) framework. Action research employing mixed methods was carried out to examine the effects of instructional design factors implemented in the online educational robotics course. An online survey indicated that the participating teachers increased their self-efficacy in robotics, use of problem-solving and collaboration strategies, and confidence in robotics knowledge and teaching. In addition, by the end of the course, the participating teachers demonstrated sufficient robotics content knowledge. As revealed in their reflective essays, they also developed learning strategies, such as case-based reasoning, sketches, trial and error, and evaluating capacity while completing the robotics open-ended project. Further, they realized the constraints of learning educational robotics online and the benefits of collaboration. This study sheds light on the design components of a robotics course grounded in LBD that are effective for preparing teachers in an online environment to implement robotics in their classrooms.

Hands-on, Minds-on, Hearts-on, Social-on: A Collaborative Maker Project Integrating Arts in a Synchronous Online Environment for Teachers.

This article presents a collaborative maker project integrating the arts in a synchronous online environment. Based on the Thinkering, Making, Sharing, and Reflecting (TMSR) model, the four components of hands-on, minds-on, hearts-on, and social-on learning were integrated into an online collaborative maker project involving arts, music, and coding. The authors first describe the theoretical framework of the TMSR model and the design and implementation of the maker project, and then report on the experiences and reflections of the participating teachers, who were enrolled in an online graduate course. Survey results showed that the project fostered the teachers' connectedness, positive emotions, and satisfaction toward the online learning environment. In addition, qualitative data from their reflective essays revealed that the teacher participants experienced all aspects of hands-on, social-on, hearts-on, and minds-on learning in the online environment both as learners and as teachers. Finally, the qualitative themes showed that the teachers acknowledged supportive maker project components that can be applied in their own teaching context. Implications of the findings for art-integrated maker projects in public school settings were also addressed.