ERIC Number: EJ1426837
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Jun
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0018-9359
EISSN: EISSN-1557-9638
Empowering STEAM Activities with Artificial Intelligence and Open Hardware: The BitDogLab
Fabiano Fruett; Fernanda Pereira Barbosa; Samuel Cardoso Zampolli Fraga; Pedro Ivo Aragao Guimaraes
IEEE Transactions on Education, v67 n3 p462-471 2024
Open-source hardware and software platforms have played an important role in democratizing access to technology and education in computer science and engineering. Recent advancements in tools, such as KiCad, MicroPython, and Thonny, integrated development environment potentially accelerate low-budget educational applications, providing a smooth and consistent learning curve for users. The BitDogLab, utilizing these platforms, is designed and developed for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics activities based on the Raspberry Pi Pico Board, featuring artificial intelligence (AI)-supported programming via the GPT model. BitDogLab is an open-source hardware solution with a flexible design for continuous expansion in both software and hardware areas. Its functionality, based on open-source code, can be enhanced by integrating various software resources. Additionally, BitDogLab's adaptability to sophisticated hardware like robotic systems or advanced sensors expands its educational applications. An evaluation of BitDogLab, conducted through a hands-on workshop at the Latin America Open Technology Conference--Latinoware 2023, revealed unanimous interest among 36 respondents, mainly for teaching programming (58%), and valuing its low cost, diverse components, and ease of AI-assisted programming. 75% of respondents expressed a strong desire to use BitDogLab, despite 19% preferring familiar boards like Arduino or Micro:bit. The project's open distribution encourages community contributions, promoting collaborative learning and innovation from children to preuniversity students.
Descriptors: Open Source Technology, STEM Education, Art Education, Artificial Intelligence, Foreign Countries, Computers
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Latin America
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A