Empirical findings: The use of robotics to engage the youth from lower socio-economic areas

Neighbourhood Renewal Areas (NRAs) are among the most deprived 10% of wards across Northern Ireland. The IM HAPPY (Improving Hopes, Aspirations, Potential & Prospects in the Youth) project seeks to raise aspirations and provide confidence to residents of two NRAs through the promotion of educational engagement and formalised attainment. As part of the initial stages of the project, four bite-sized computing modules (Multimedia Web Development, Introduction to Mobile App Development, Robotics and Effective Social Media) were delivered to classes in approved secondary schools and community centres within the NRAs. A range of teaching methods were employed to encourage the participants to engage with their learning and these methods were adapted to accommodate groups from different age ranges and with different existing computing skills. This paper reflects on the relative success of these four modules in engaging the participants and attempts to identify influencing factors on performances to help shape future policy and direction. Particular focus is given to the Robotics module and the use of LEGO Mindstorms, with additional observations highlighting differences in participant engagement using age and gender as discriminators.