The Impact of the Edubot Project on Students' Entry Into STEM Fields

• Clarisse Ribeiro Oliveira UnB
• Mariana da Silva Reis UnB
• M. A. Pastrana UnB
• Miguel Scardini de Oliveira UnB
• Nícolas Yuri Gomes Rocha UnB
• Daniel M. Munoz UnB
• Roberto de Souza Baptista UnB

Resumo

This study examines the impact of the Edubot Project, an educational robotics project created by the University of Brasília IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, on Brazilian student's interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects. This study employs a qualitative methodology to examine interviews with two former participants who went on to pursue STEM careers, examining how practical robotics education improved their technical proficiency, and problem-solving capacity. The results show that although the initiative mainly supports STEM-inclined students' future choices, it also greatly enhances their academic readiness by enhancing computational thinking, programming logic, and exposure to college life. The results highlight the potential of robotics-based interventions to bridge educational gaps and inspire future STEM professionals in underprivileged settings.

Palavras-chave: Mechatronics, Engineering profession, Conferences, Education, Teamwork, Problem-solving, Logic, Robots, Programming profession, STEM, Edubot, Robotics, Social Habilities, High-School