Across the country and in the great state of Florida, robots have been a nexus of thousands of youth of all ages. They have stolen the hearts of so very many, both young and old. Intramural and competitive teams in dozens of different leagues and organizations rival sports teams for their popularity. School districts across Florida are trying to find the best way to provide access to robotics for all their students. They are trying to find ways and means to have as many teachers as possible trained in robotics so they can use robots to teach science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) principles and processes as well as “robotics technology.”

Robots offer a single platform to teach STEM subjects both individually and/or integrated together. There
are a lot of fundamental processes and principles of STEM at multiple levels in designing, building and programming robots. Problem and project-based learning come to life when using robots to help students learn. In the context of this integrated, contextual learning, students can learn by discovery and develop creativity necessary for invention. Robotic platforms require students and teachers to develop strong soft skills including communication skills and teamwork. Robots are also ripe platforms for developing trouble-shooting skills.