TUES Type 1: Robots in Business and Society - A Hands-on Learning Experience

机器人技术是一个科学领域，正在迅速改变我们的生活。遥控军用飞机影响了该国的外交政策。机器人的使用也被提议作为照顾老龄化人口的解决方案，以弥补人类照顾者的短缺。作为回应，一门新的本科课程正在为非工程专业的学生开发，通过机器人技术的应用来满足对道德、科学、技术和商业方面的一般能力的需求。本课程旨在帮助商业、教育、市场营销、经济学等专业的学生批判性地思考这些广泛而看似不同的主题之间复杂的相互作用所产生的问题。该课程的参与者将学习机器人的历史、力学和软件，以及应用，以分析相关的伦理、社会和经济问题。独特之处在于，参与者使用乐高头脑风暴工具包进行动手作业，探索非技术问题。在主要项目中，每个学生必须开发一个机器人解决方案，制作一个原型来演示解决方案，然后综合评估该技术以及潜在的社会影响。动手练习的重点是机器人的基本原理，包括：机器人运动，机器人智能和传感。他们教授关键概念，让学生更好地理解现代机器人系统的潜在能力和局限性。该课程将知识与技术的使用联系起来，并强调学生作为未来的商业、政治或教育领导者以及消费者可能面临的决策。目前正在使用形成性和总结性评估对课程进行监测和更新，其中包括修改后的“科学-技术-社会观点”工具。该项目正在遵循一项详细的评估计划，该计划正在研究明确和可衡量的结果。课程材料——包括视频讲座、指导手册和作业——都发布在大学网站上，供开源使用。该项目为如何将机器人技术作为普通本科教育的工具创造了一个最佳实践范例。开发的课程提供了一个广泛的教育，这是理解工程解决方案在全球、经济、环境和社会背景下的影响所必需的。虽然在机器人技术的背景下交付，但课程中教授的工具是通用的，可以用来影响广泛的科学和技术。该项目正在帮助培养一批精通技术的公民骨干，他们准备为未来的技术做出决定。提议的机器人主题激发了大学生的热情，促进了他们的参与，为他们提供了知识基础和探索其他科学或技术主题的信心。

PROJECT DESCRIPTION Robotics is a field of science that is rapidly transforming our lives. Remotely controlled military aircraft have impacted the country's approach to foreign policy. The use of robotics has also been proposed as a solution for taking care of the aging population, compensating for a shortage of human caretakers. In response, a new undergraduate course is being developed for non-engineering majors to address the need for general competencies in ethics, science, technology, and business - through the application of robotics. The course is designed to help majors in business, education, marketing, economics, etc., to think critically about issues created by the complex interactions among these broad and seemingly disparate topics. Participants in the course are studying the history, mechanics and software, and applications of robots to analyze the related ethical, social, and economic issues. The unique feature is the participants are using hands-on assignments with a Lego Mindstorms kit to explore non-technical issues. In the main project, each student must develop a robot solution, make a prototype to demonstrate the solution, and then synthesize a review of the technology along with the potential societal impact. The hands-on exercises focus on the fundamentals of robotics involving: robot motion, robot intelligence, and sensing. They teach the key concepts that provide students with a better understanding of the underlying capabilities and limitations of modern robot systems. The course ties the knowledge to the uses of the technology and highlights the decisions that students are likely to face as future business, political, or education leaders and as consumers. The course is being monitored and updated using formative and summative assessments including a modified "Views on Science-Technology-Society" tool. The project is following a detailed evaluation plan that is studying explicit and measurable outcomes. The course materials - including video lectures, instruction manuals, and assignments - are published on the university website for open source use.BROADER SIGNIFICANCE The project is creating a best-practices example of how to use robotics as a tool for general undergraduate education. The developed courses are providing a broad education that is necessary to understand impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts. Although delivered in the context of robotics, the tools taught in the course are general and can be used to impact a broad range of science and technology. The project is helping produce a cadre of technology savvy citizens who are prepared to make decisions about future technology. The proposed robotics thread is generating enthusiasm and fostering participation by undergraduates, providing them with the knowledge base and confidence to explore other science or technology topics.