This document discusses using underwater robots to engage students in hands-on STEM activities. It presents on a project at a Title I urban secondary school in New Bedford, Massachusetts that aims to increase student interest in STEAM fields through incorporating engineering-based learning using underwater robotics. The hypothesis is that this approach will boost student interest in areas like reading, research, writing, and science and engineering. The engineering design process is identified as a structured 8-step model that allows students to explore problem-solving. The goal of the STEAM plans over 3 years is to work toward increasing student interest in STEM through using this problem-based engineering approach.

1. USING UNDERWATER ROBOTS TO BUILD YOUR
STEM PIPELINE
Delve into using underwater
robots to engage students
with hands-on problem-
solving activities. Lessons will
incorporate Common Core,
science, and engineering.

2. Presenters
Diana CostM.Ed. NSF Master Teacher Fellow (Global
Learning Charter Public School: New Bedford, MA);
Keith Bradley (Somerset Middle School: Somerset,
MA);
Meghan Abella-Bowen (Bristol Community College:
Fall River, MA);
Darlease Monteiro (Global Learning Charter Public
School: New Bedford, MA)

3. BACKGROUND
GLCPS
Urban secondary school in New Bedford,
Massachusetts.
Title I school with over 74% of the student
population on free and reduced lunch.
Historically, only 60% of students graduating
from New Bedford move on to postsecondary
education
Goal increase interest in STEAM (science,
technology, engineering, arts, and math) fields.

4. HYPOTHESIS
Incorporation of engineering-based learning
(EBL) using underwater robotics will increase
student interest in reading, researching,
writing, and exploring science and engineering.

5. • K-12 teachers to create relevant real
world application of curriculum for
student centered learning
1
• EBL encourages and promotes
participation, organization,
communication, and group ethics to
design
2
• EDP is a structured, eight-step,
systematic, open-ended process that
allows students to explore, within each
step of the design process
3
WHAT IS ENGINEERING-BASED
LEARNING MODEL?

6. Learning Objectives
Technology
Procedure
Policies
Benefits

7. New Steam Courses
The Goal to Increase Student Interest
STEAM
PLANS
1 yr 2 yr 3 yr

8. Using Problem Based Engineering
to Learn EDP

9. Time Spent
ProjectsWorkedOn
Introduce
Problem
Create
Interest
Working Toward Steam
Use EDP

10. Case Study
 Student Interest
 Disengaged
 No Interest in STEM
 The Change overheard
 “I wish I was still in that
engineering course. It was
so much fun and I really
felt like I was doing real
stuff. We got to decide
what to build and how it
would look. It was great!”