005: Robotics in K-12: Helping Students Make Decisions, Solve Problems, & Experience the World | with Angela Hattman & Audrey Strickling

Our guests are Angela Hattman, a fabulous Science Teacher at Upper Arlington High School and the fearless teacher who volunteered to help students start a robotics team, and Audrey Strickling, one of the high school students that helped found the UAHS FRC BearBots.We talked with Andy Bruening and Tyler Hertenstein in episode six about the FIRST robotics program, which provides some context into the broader implications of these programs, but Angela and Audrey help us unbox what it means to not just start a team, but how doing so provides meaningful educational and life experiences for students.We unbox:Why Angela and Audrey decided to start a robotics teamHow starting this team has impacted the entire school’s cultureThe financial implications of starting a robotics programThe BearBots growing 3x between their first and second yearsHow robotics programs help students make decisions, experience the world in new ways, and develop critical career skillsWhat robotics students are looking for from their mentorsManaging parents and parents’ expectations when you are starting a robotics teamHow a new robotics team is like running a new startup businessWhat you should do first if you start a robotics teamResources:See the FRC BearBots in action: https://twitter.com/uahsbearbotsStart a FIRST Robotics Team: https://www.pastfoundation.org/start-a-first-robotics-teamLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio