1. New Pathways into Robotics:
Strategies for Broadening Participation
Robbie Berg
Wellesley College
Wellesley- Liberal arts –absence of engineering in the liberal arts; engineering linked strongly to science, instrument building

2. Playful Invention Company Paula Bonta Wellesley College
Collaborators
MIT Media Lab
Mitchel Resnick
Brian Silverman
Natalie Rusk
John Maloney
Amon Millner
Playful Invention Company
Paula Bonta
Wellesley College
Franklyn Turbak
Scott Anderson

3. Robotic
Design
Studio
6.270; Want to adapt this experience to Wellesley, a liberal arts college for women; no engineering
6270 succeeds in MIT environment but perhaps not at Wellesley.
(filled with engineers, Also, can’t help noticing it attracts mostly men)
Want to Attract students with a wide range of backgrounds and interests.
Same basic tools, but more open ended, Exhibition not Competition.
Show video clip

5. High Ceiling
This is one of the things we about LEGO,
Low Floor

6. High Ceiling W i d e W a l l s Low Floor
Important to provide a wide range of entry points. (LEGO perhaps not as good here…
Low Floor

7. Adapt 6270/RDS experiences for wider audience
MIT + LEGO ==> MindStorms; robots
MIT (with support from LEGO0 -> PICO to create new kit aimed at artistic invention _PIcoCrciket

8. LEGO, Crafts, electronics on “equal footing”

9. Simple graphical programming language, emphasis on tinkerability push very low in age (younger than MINDSTORMS; yet surprisingly useful for college age

11. free! wide dissemination, worldwide community

12. low cost connection to physical world

15. R) Bike wheel demo; a construction kit for playing with electronics

17. Visions for the future
Our mission is to create a new generation of engineers who will make a difference in the 21st century world.
Charles Vest, President of the National Academy of Engineering
The mission of Wellesley College is to provide an excellent liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world.
Wellesley College mission statement

18. important to connect to the world
important to connect to the world...Robotics the next disruptive technology