Enabling the Creation of Intelligent Things: Bringing Artificial Intelligence and Robotics to Schools

• Published in: 2019 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) pp. 1 - 5
• Main Authors: Kandlhofer, Martin, Steinbauer, Gerald, Lasnig, Julia P., Baumann, Wilfried, Plomer, Sandra, Ballagi, Aron, Alfoldi, Istvan
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01.10.2019
• Subjects: Artificial intelligence; Curriculum Development; Education in AI; Educational Robotics; Educational robots; K-12; Robot sensing systems; Robotics; Training
• ISSN: 2377-634X
• DOI: 10.1109/FIE43999.2019.9028537

This Innovative Practice Work in Progress paper presents a novel educational project, aiming at the development and implementation of a professional, standardized, internationally accepted system for training and certifying teachers, school students and young people in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics. In recent years, AI and Robotics have become major topics with a huge impact not only on our everyday life but also on the working environment. Hence, sound knowledge about principles and concepts of AI and Robotics are key skills for the 21st century. Nonetheless, hardly any systematic approaches exist that focus on teaching AI/Robotics principles at K-12 level, addressing both teachers and students. In order to meet this challenge, the European Driving License for Robots and Intelligent Systems is under development. It is based on a number of previously implemented and evaluated projects and comprises teaching curricula and training modules for AI/Robotics, following a competency based, blended learning approach. Additionally, a certification system proves peoples' competencies acquired during the training. By applying this innovative approach - a standardized and widely recognized training and certification system for AI and Robotics at K-12 level for both teachers and students - we envision to foster AI/Robotics literacy on a broad basis.