FIRST Robotics as a model for experiential problem-based learning: A comparison of student attitudes and interests in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology

This research study was undertaken to examine potential relationships between high school students' attitudes and interests in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology, and their participation in the FIRST Robotics Competition six-week challenge to design, and build a robot. High school students' gender and race, in relationship to students' interest in the aforementioned topics was also examined in this study. A convenience sample of 727 South Carolina public high school students agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected using pre-and post-survey questionnaires. Student participants completed pre-survey questionnaires at the onset of the 2005 FIRST Robotics Competition Kick-off, concurrent with the beginning of the second semester of the 2004--2005 school year. Participants completed post-survey questionnaires after six-weeks, the period of time allocated for teams to design, build, and ship their 2005 FIRST Robotics Competition robot. Data analyzed was collected from the group of students participating in FIRST Robotics (treatment), the experimental group, and the group of students who are not participating in FIRST Robotics (control).; Findings reported that the pre- and post-survey questionnaire responses regarding attitudinal change were not significantly different in either the experimental or control group. High pre-survey dependent variable scores provided by students in the FIRST group did not allow for significant gain in each of the seven-attitudinal categories. Findings also indicated that there were significant attitudinal differences between students in the experimental group (FIRST), and students the control group (SMET) pre- and post-survey responses. Students in the FIRST group had statistically significant higher attitude means than students in the SMET group on both pre- and post-surveys in the seven-attitudinal categories.; The frequency for responses to each question in the three interest categories on the pre- and post-survey was calculated for the experimental and control group to evaluate differences. The results expressed in percentages indicated that there were significant differences in respondent scores for the pre-survey versus the post-survey in the FIRST group. The null hypothesis concerning interest differences of high school students that participate in the FIRST Robotics six-week challenge as compared to students that do not participate in the program was rejected.