Leveraging Programmable Educational Drones, Robots and AI for Learning STEM, Computational Thinking and Higher Order Thinking in Schools in Rural Villages

Abstract

TechViwoEDU Project is addressing the hypothesis that school age children in rural villages, throughout the world, can use advanced low-cost technologies, such as programmable drones, coding robots, and physical & digital manipulative tools for learning and knowledge acquisition. Specifically, they can use these low-cost tools, sometimes partly made from local materials, to acquire developmental skills such as higher-order thinking (problem-solving thinking, critical thinking, rule-based thinking, creative thinking), computational thinking, algorithms, digital and automation technologies, and STEM-based technologies, for future of work and future of jobs. Drones provide a gateway for engaging learners with mathematical topics such as geometric, spatial, topological structures; order structures, temporal structures; and algebraic structures. Drones are also a part of the toolset that enables the students and their coaches to collaborate in active learning involving exploration, discovery, creativity, ingenuity, innovation, competition, and cooperation. A challenge provides effective user interfaces for the comprehension of the huge amount of information that learners must assimilate and accommodate. The project has been launched for the rural community schools of Tsrukpe in the North Dayi District of the Volta Region of Ghana, West Africa, with a student population of about 600, and pilot program for about 60 students.