CREATE brings together our mission in furthering Human-Robot Interaction with our desire to disruptively redefine how communities can make sense of their context through the use of robotic technologies. In our past research, we have demonstrated in isolated pilot projects that technology education does not need to be the province of the few. We have shown that hands-on approaches to learning that use technology as inspirations for wonder and discovery can lead to lifelong learning skills such as teamwork, problem-solving and self-identification with technology as a tool for exploration and personal expression.
The CREATE lab aims to scale up our efforts in order to create self-sustaining communities of learning, expression and technology empowerment. Each project is funded by technology partners and local foundations to demonstrate the creation of sustainable programs that combine technology education with issues and activities that students of all ages care about and therefore have a vested interest in pursuing. As part of this goal we develop new technologies, kits, curricula and evaluation methodologies. Our policy is to open-source and disseminate as much of this material as is practical so that both research and effective use of technology in the formal and informal learning setting can grow as quickly as possible.
