How does the combination of mathematics with coding and robotics affect student learning?

Imagine 5 linkbots playing and dancing to the song Feliz Navidad as the students sing along in unison. In math, students work with C-STEM curriculum, programs to code using C/C++ and use linkbots with other components to form the robots. This new implementation of teaching has been beneficial with student engagement, attendance and learning growth.

 Rafael Garcia Avila                                  Garcia Home       Learn More       Standards       Inspiration       About the Author

Attendance Rate as a Result of Computing and Robotics


Student attendance is one of the most important challenges we are facing and working towards finding possible solutions currently at our school. One of these possible solutions may be implementing computing and robotics in the mathematics classroom. The intention is to get a closer look at the practices of using computing and robotics in the mathematics classroom with relation to how it impacts student attendance and its implications. It is no secret that mathematics tends to be a challenging subject for most students while it is also one of the most important worldwide. Thus, innovating math with the purpose of making it more understandable and accessible to students is always both a challenge and a risk worth undertaking. Also, it is hopeful that student attendance increases because of student interest with the subject matter and the new curriculum using computing and robotics.

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Continuation high schools are a second opportunity to succeed in a smaller setting and with more supports for student learning. Students are referred because of low acquisition of credits, attendance issues and/or the traditional setting overwhelms them. Furthermore, we are currently experiencing a huge attendance and tardy problem and we are trying to find ways to improve it. Here, it is the perfect place to implement, pilot, and test programs created to improve the learning of the struggling student population. Thus, it is important to find and look into the benefits, outcomes, and possible solutions to providing a different way of learning to students that don’t do school in the traditional comprehensive manner.
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RoboDog: Created by Estella Sanchez using multiple linkbots.
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These represent three different types of virtual robots.
Click on the video to watch a 90 second introduction to my Capstone.

First Round of Research - Engagement

How does using computing and robotics affect the engagement of students in the mathematics classroom?
The big idea of my question was about the engagement of students as a result of using the coding and robotics technology in the mathematics classroom. The purpose of my research topic was to see if in fact there were benefits to the implementation of Computing and Robotics in the mathematics classroom related to engagement.

As teachers, we are always looking for and seeking for methodologies and tools to utilize that will increase student engagement and learning. My study consisted of a triangulation composed of a survey, my teacher's notes comparing student engagement, and the analysis of students’ grades from one type of class to the other and grade comparison.

It is important for Valley Oak High School and for the Napa Valley Unified School District to learn about my findings because it will provide valuable information regarding the implementation of computing and robotics in the mathematics classroom with regards to student engagement. Furthermore, Napa Learns may also be interested with my findings as they provide the financial support to the execution of C-STEM in our district.

Second Round of Research - Attendance

How does Computing and Robotics affects student attendance in the mathematics classroom and school-wide?
In this next round of research, it was my intent to further examine the engagement of students by investigating and analyzing how or if computing and robotics had an effect on student attendance.

Attendance is the first essential step in students engaging in math.  In my research, I compared student attendance between computing & robotics days in contrast with regular math instructional days.  During my first round observations, I heard and students wrote comments with respect to the positivism of being in class for robotics. Most of the students loved working with the technology and I wanted to see how much of an impact computing and robotics was making at our school since we were experiencing a Daily Attendance Rate from 52% to 59% in the past three years (per 2019 WASC Report).