Chapter 12 Using Free and Open-Source Hardware and Software With STEM Project-Based Learning PDF

Chapter 12 Using Free and Open-Source Hardware and Software With STEM Project-Based Learning Aamir Fidai Department of Teaching, Learning & Culture Aggie STEM Texas A&M University Project-based learning (PBL) is a great way to get students involved in problems that are situated in real-world conte...

Chapter 12 Using Free and Open-Source Hardware and Software With STEM Project-Based Learning Aamir Fidai Department of Teaching, Learning & Culture Aggie STEM Texas A&M University Project-based learning (PBL) is a great way to get students involved in problems that are situated in real-world contexts. The contextualized nature of PBL sets the stage for students to begin thinking as professionals in the science, technology, engineering, and technology (STEM) fields. The two basic tenets of PBL, well-defined outcome and ill-defined task, mirror the day-to-day challenges encountered by STEM professionals in their day-to-day lives. PBL also allows students to engage in hands-on activities with scaled-down versions of tools and electronic devices that STEM professionals use to solve problems. These devices include microcontrollers, sensors, motors, and motor controllers, among others. However, not all students have access to these instructional tools and devices due to their high monetary costs. Disparities in access to tangible instructional tools may be keeping some student groups from taking full advantage of the potential learning opportunities during PBL activities. Open-source hardware and software can provide a solution to this problem. 210 Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL  Chapter Outcomes When you complete this chapter, you should better understand and be able to explain the definition of “Open Source” the distinguishing features of open-source hardware and software the possible roles of free and open-source (FOS) tools in engineering PBL the parallels between the engineering design process, the phases of STEM PBL, and the Teacher Project-Based Learning Checklist When you complete this chapter, you should be able to identify FOS hardware and software envision STEM PBL activities that incorporate resources and tools support students in locating FOS engineering resources and tools help students engage in the engineering design process using FOS tools design a STEM PBL lesson using open-source Arduino microcontrollers and Scratch Chapter Overview In this chapter, I will first provide an overview of the open source movement and open-source technologies. Through the use of definitions and examples, I will provide readers with a clear understanding of what is considered open source and what is not. I will then discuss the many advantages open-source materials hold over proprietary technologies. Finally, I will describe in detail how open-source hardware and software can be integrated into the engineering design process within the PBL framework, providing readers with an increased knowledge of the many learning possibilities present in engineering PBL as well as a deep understanding of how to utilize the power of open-source hardware and software to facilitate PBL opportunities for all students. What is Open Source? Definition Open source can be defined using three ideas: free to access, free to use, and free to modify. This definition of open source comes from the Open Source Initiative, a non-profit organization that aims to serve as a central hub for collecting and disseminating information about developed and emerging open-source technologies. Open-source technologies provide a direct alternative to proprietary and pay-to-use software and hardware products. Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL 211 Open-Source Software Richard Stallman is generally considered the pioneering force behind the open source movement. His work on opening up the source code for software products, which led to Linux products, is considered to be the turning point in the software industry. The open-source Linux project later gave birth to Android, which is one of the most widely used software products on the planet. The success of Linux and the availability of the source code for the popular Netscape internet browser inspired the discussion for more openly available software source code, leading to the label “open source.” Over the years, the term has come to define all sorts of “soft” products that can be freely accessed, used, and modified by end users. Open-Source Hardware Similar to open-source software, open-source hardware enjoyed popularity and acceptance during the 1990s, but the idea of hardware that was available to reproduce by anyone began to fade during the early 2000’s until the advent of Arduino, which reinvigorated the open-source hardware movement. Keeping true to their roots from the early days of personal computing in the 1990s, when computer enthusiasts and hobbyists used to build personal computers from kits and off-the-shelf aftermarket products, open-source hardware providers such as Arduino and Adafruit allow users to access, download, and use hardware schematics, wiring diagrams, and machine source code to reproduce electronic boards and other peripherals. The improved availability of hardware components and the ease of manufacturing has resulted in an explosion of creativity in both professional and do-it-yourself sectors. Difference Between Open Source and Proprietary There are major differences between open-source and proprietary software and hardware. It is somewhat easier to identify open-source software, but determining if a hardware device is open source can be tricky. The basic questions one must ask to determine if a software product or a hardware device is open source or proprietary are provided in Table 1. The adherence to the three basic tenets of open source has sparked many debates and controversies in recent years. For example, the Arduino microcontroller is considered an open-source hardware device because not only is access to the source code that runs the Arduino microcontroller provided freely but use and modification, the hardware schematics, wiring diagrams, and other relevant information relating to the hardware components are also provided freely. In addition, Arduino can be reproduced by anyone without any restrictions. On the other hand, Raspberry Pi, another popular microcontroller device, claims to be open source but prohibits users from reproducing the device’s microcontroller boards. 212 Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL Table 1 How to Determine if a Software or Hardware is Open Source Software Hardware A software product is A hardware product is open source if open source if it is the schematics and wiring the underlying software and free to access diagrams are free to machine code are free to access, free to use access, use, and modify use, and modify free to modify all components are listed any integrated development in detail environment used to code the hardware is free to access, use, and modify Benefits of Open-Source Hardware and Software The open source model has revolutionized access to hardware and software, creating more opportunities for creative innovations by both experts and novice alike. Open-source hardware and software hold many advantages over their proprietary counterparts (see Table 2). These advantages have helped to democratize access to information and education for millions. Table 2 Advantages of Open-Source Software and Hardware Open-Source Hardware Open-Source Software Hardware schematics are accessible Free to access Underlying machine code is accessible Free to download and use Extensible architecture Source code available Community supported Modification allowed Adaptable to users’ needs Openly Managed Portable to multiple operating systems Community supported Encourages innovation Encourages innovation Examples of Open-Source Hardware and Software The last few decades have seen an explosion in the research and development of open-source hardware and software. Today, open-source tools can be found in almost any industry. Even those industries where open-source hardware and software tools are not a part of the explicit business plan, it can be safely assumed that open-source tools are still in play. The Open Source Hardware Association (OSHWA) serves as a governing body for open-source hardware and provides a repository for open-source hardware projects, along with open-source certification services, lists more than 1200 open-source hardware projects on their website Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL 213 (https://certification.oshwa.org/list.html). OSHWA is but one of many repositories where open-source hardware developers share their hardware projects. An abridged list of open- source hardware repositories is provided in Table 3. Because there is a plethora of open-source hardware projects that are hosted by individuals and organizations all around the world, it would be impossible to list them all in one place completely and accurately. Because of this, the list of repositories in Table 3 should serve only as a starting point for readers who are interested in learning more about the current state of the open-source hardware community rather than a comprehensive list. Table 3 Open-Source Hardware Project Repositories Repository Website Open Source Hardware Association https://certification.oshwa.org/list.html Open Hardware Observatory https://en.oho.wiki/wiki/The_OHO_Project_Directory Product Hacking http://vermeulen.ca/product-hacking.html Open Innovations Project http://open-innovation-projects.org/ Maker Camp Project Library https://makercamp.com/project-library/ Instructables https://www.instructables.com/ GitHub https://github.com/topics/open-source-hardware Much like the open-source hardware community, the proponents of open-source software are actively engaged in transforming the technology landscape. Table 4 lists some of the most popular open-source software projects that have helped to extend the cause of the open-source software movement and are seeking to revolutionize the software industry at the same time. Table 4 Open-Source Software Projects and Repositories Repository Website Instructables https://www.instructables.com/ GitHub https://github.com/topics/open-source-hardware The open source universe is continually growing and evolving. New ideas and innovations are fueling the way forward to new uses and implementations in all sorts of industries. However, the overabundance of options can become a cause for confusion and frustration for a STEM teacher, instructional coach, or an administrator who is interested in putting the power of open source to work for the benefit of their students. In this chapter, we focus on two open-source tools that can serve as starting point for an educator’s journey into the world of open-source 214 Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL educational tools. The open-source Arduino microcontroller and Scratch, a visual coding environment, are two of the most widely used open-source hardware and software combinations in STEM education. This pair of open-source tools has been extensively researched, and the peer-reviewed evidence of their efficacy in the STEM classroom makes them a perfect candidate for use in STEM PBL. Open-Source Arduino and Scratch STEM education has greatly benefited from the advent and widespread availability of open- source software and hardware. This is particularly true in engineering education because engineers are considered to be very creative and often find the closed nature of proprietary software and hardware very restrictive. As a matter of fact, the two pioneers of the open source movement, Eric Raymond and Bruce Perens, were both software engineers. They spearheaded the open-source software and later the open-source hardware movements of the 1990s out of their frustrations with pay-to-play and proprietary software and hardware. Later on in 2003, Hernando Barragan developed an open-source prototyping board called “Wiring,” which was then modified and renamed “Arduino” by Massimo Banzi in 2005. Both Barragan and Banzi were electronics engineers and cited a need for easier and more affordable access to electronics prototyping as the inspiration for the creation of their open-source microcontroller boards. Today, engineering education is enjoying the fruits of the open source movement in the form of open-source Arduino microcontrollers coupled with the visual coding environment of Scratch. In addition to these two notable open-source tools, there are also free engineering tools that allow engineering students to learn sketching, designing, solid modeling, and drafting. These FOS tools enable students to build virtual assemblies and perform testing and product evaluations. In the following sections, we will learn how to integrate the engineering design process into a STEM PBL and successfully implement it using open-source Arduino and Scratch. Engineering Design Process and PBL The engineering design process is a systemic step-by-step method of problem solving utilized in engineering fields. The engineering design process allows professional engineers and engineering students to create solutions while respecting the constraints surrounding an identified problem. This methodical approach to problem solving also allows problem solvers to take into account the available resources, budget, and user needs while coming up with possible solutions. Furthermore, the engineering design process affords engineers opportunities to engage in deeper conversation with team members while conducting research and developing ideas. Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL 215 The engineering design process is depicted in Figure 1. Seven-Step Design Process many different forms, but most textbook chapters depict the engineering design process as a cycle that begins with the identification of a problem and circles back to the identification of the problem. This circular approach allows for testing, evaluation, and identification of new problems within the proposed solution or product. The engineering design cycle proposed by Morgan et al. (2021) in Chapter 4 identified seven steps in the engineering design process: identify problems and constraints, research, ideate, analyze ideas, build, test and refine, and communicate and reflect (Figure 1). Similar to the engineering design process, PBL also engages students in a step-by-step method of problem solving in the form of a project. The seven steps of the engineering design process relate closely to the multiple steps each successful project must go through. Table 5 illustrates the correlation between the steps of the engineering design process and STEM PBL. In addition to observing and understanding the correlation between the engineering design process and STEM PBL, it is also beneficial for a STEM educator to become familiar with the Teacher Project-Based Learning Checklist developed by the staff of Aggie STEM at Texas A&M University (see Appendix X). This checklist states that each STEM PBL lesson must be broken into the following ten distinguishable sections: teacher introduction, objectives, connections, well-defined outcome, materials used, engagement, exploration, explanation, extension, and evaluation and assessment. Table 5 Engineering Design Process and STEM PBL Engineering Design Process STEM PBL (Morgan et al., 2021) (Jalinus et al., 2017) Problem identification Well-defined outcome Research Understanding of problem Ill-Defined Ideation Skills training Task Analysis of ideas Designing project theme Prototyping/Build Making the project proposal/ Testing and refinement Executing project tasks Communication and reflection Presentation of the project 216 Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL  STEM PBL Using the Engineering Design Process, Arduino, and Scratch The last decade has seen an explosion in the use of open-source Arduino in engineering education. The low cost and user-friendly nature of this prototyping device has made it a go-to device in K–12 and post-secondary classrooms. Research shows that coupling Arduino with Scratch’s visual coding environment can produce many benefits for students. Figure 2 describes the flow of PBL and how that flow relates to the engineering design process and the Teacher Project-Based Learning Checklist. When we examine the three processes together, it becomes visible that parts of each process correlate with parts of the other two processes and that the entire teaching and learning cycle can be divided into four phases. In the next section, we describe the design and implementation of a STEM PBL lesson that helps students become better problem solvers by engaging them in the engineering design process through the use of Arduino and Scratch. We will divide the discussion of this particular STEM PBL activity into the five phases identified in Figure 2. Figure 2. Correlations/Connections Between the Teacher Project-Based Learning Checklist, Engineering Design Process, and Stages of STEM PBL Teacher Project-Based Learning Checklist Automatic Dog Food Dispenser Students learn more effectively when they make connections between their learning and real- life situations. This learning can become even more concrete when students situate themselves within the context of the problem that needs to be solved. One way to achieve great results in a situated learning environment is to identify problems that students can relate to. In this sample STEM PBL activity, five phases are identified (see Figure 2). In each phase, the stages of Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL 217 STEM PBL and the Teacher Project-Based Learning Checklist are woven together. The FOS tools that can be introduced to students to help them successfully complete the STEM PBL are included. In this STEM PBL activity, the teacher presents a group of elementary school students a real-world problem that they can relate to and engages them in the engineering design process to solve the posed engineering problem. This STEM PBL activity is titled Automatic Dog Food Dispenser because that product is the well-defined outcome. Rubrics and checklists developed by the staff of Aggie STEM at Texas A&M University are included to aid teachers in successfully planning and implementing the STEM PBL lesson. Teachers can use FOS tools, such as Google Workspace (https://workspace.google.com/), Microsoft Office 365 (https://www.office.com/), or many other freely available office productivity software packages, to establish a workspace for students where they can organize their research findings and collaborate with team members as they complete their STEM PBL activity. The activity is designed for upper elementary and middle school students but can easily be modified to be implemented at higher grade levels. Phase I – Problem Identification Identification of a genuine problem is the first step in the engineering design process. The quest for a solution must begin with an existing problem. The hands-on and practical nature of engineering dictates that engineers deal with problems that are timely, pressing, and real. To situate the students and the problem in a real-life context, teachers should search for a real-life problem that can be solved using the engineering design process. Teacher Introduction and Engagement Teachers should introduce the problem to their students by engaging them and garnering their attention. After all, it is more effective for students’ learning if they are a captivated audience rather than a captive one. For example, in this STEM PBL the teacher could tell the students a story (real or made up) about her college days and how she would often forget to feed her dog because she was stuck at the library. This would help students relate to the problem at hand by framing it around someone they know and situation they may be familiar with. Being successful in this stage is important because engaging students in learning ensures that they are willing to take ownership of their learning and may motivate them to solve the engineering design problem. In addition to relating their own personal experiences, there are many FOS tools that teachers can use to engage students and introduce them to the engineering problem. An example of an FOS tool is TeacherTube, which is a repository of educational videos geared toward teachers and students. The video about the engineering design process (https://www.teachertube.com/videos/the-engineering-design-process-269719) is an excellent tool for teachers to use to engage students in their future learning while introducing them to the engineering design process. 218 Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL Objectives and Connections Objectives may not drive learning or even guarantee that any learning occurs, but they help with designing the (lesson) plan by bringing focus to how the learner will be approached with new learning concepts. Clear objectives at the beginning of the lesson also help strategize proper assessments and evaluations at the end of the lesson. The objectives may be the mandate of the school district, state, or other local education authorities, or they could be adapted from national organizations such as the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers, who developed the Common Core Standards for Mathematics and English Language Arts. Regardless of the learning standards underlying the objectives, it is important that the teacher define clear objectives for the lesson. The teacher can use FOS tools such as “Read the Standards” (http://www.corestandards.org/Math/) or “Common Core Explorer” (https://www.commonsense.org/education/standards/common-core) to identify national standards or state-specific tools, such as the “Search TEKS” (https://www.texasgateway.org/search-standards) tool, which helps teachers identify Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. These objectives should provide valid connections to other concepts within one subject area and with other academics. A sample set of objectives is provided in Table 6. Table 6 Learning Objectives for Automatic Dog Food Dispenser STEM PBL Common Core Mathematics Standards Next Generation Science Standards Solve problems involving measurement Engineering Design Apply the area and perimeter formulas for Define a simple design problem reflecting a rectangles in real-world and mathematical need or a want that includes specified criteria problems. for success and constraints on materials, time, CCSS.Math.Content.4.MD.A.3 or cost. (3-5-ETS1-1) Geometric measurement An angle that turns through n one-degree angles Generate and compare multiple possible is said to have an angle measure of n degrees. solutions to a problem based on how well CCSS.Math.Content.4.MD.C.5.b each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. Measure angles in whole-number degrees using (3-5-ETS1-2) a protractor. Sketch angles of specified measure. CCSS.Math.Content.4.MD.C.6 Well-Defined Outcomes A well-defined outcome ensures that the project leads to a product or a process that can be accurately assessed and evaluated. A well-defined outcome also specifies the limitations and constraints of the project for the students, such as time limit, budget, technology, and physical Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL 219 properties of the final product. In this STEM PBL activity, the well-defined outcome may be described as the following: Students will design, build, and test an automatic dog food dispenser using the engineering design process and open-source hardware and software. Students will work in groups of 3-4 students in five class periods. Students will document all their activities and deliver a final product presentation using FOS tools. The dog food dispenser must be able to store at least one pound of dog food and dispense one cup of food at a predetermined time. During the oral product presentation, students must be able to describe their product’s functionality and the steps of the product development process. This well-defined outcome clearly lays out the expectations for the students and also helps the teacher prepare adequate rubrics to evaluate students’ products and presentations. Materials Unlike other methods of lesson delivery, PBL does not specify the list of materials students can use at the beginning of the activity. Instead, students are encouraged to come up with their own list of materials required during the research phase of the engineering design process. The teacher may wish to impose limitations on some materials to level the playing field for all students. For example, students should be discouraged from acquiring commercially available products or kits that have already been built to produce the same or a similar product. The instructor may also wish to inform the parents about the STEM PBL activity and discourage them from “helping” their children too much. Both the well-defined outcomes and the space for students to document their material lists can be stored in any of the FOS office productivity tools identified and authorized by the teacher at the problem identification stage. Phase II – Research, Ideation and Analysis The exploration requirement on the Teacher Project-Based Learning Checklist corresponds with the research, ideation, and analysis steps of the engineering design process and the skills training and designing project theme stages of STEM PBL. In this phase of STEM PBL, students are encouraged to explore and research the problem at hand, generate ideas by brainstorming, and analyze the viability of their ideas by examining similar problems and solutions. Exploration, Research, and Ideation Exploring different aspects of the problem and conducting research about the problem allows students to take ownership of their learning. Students may need assistance in making sense of their findings as well as their proposed solutions, however. Teachers can encourage students to employ Mind Mapping, a time-tested brainstorming technique to organize ideas generated by group members. There are many FOS tools for brainstorming and mind mapping that students 220 Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL should be introduced to at this stage. Examples include Bubble (https://bubbl.us), Lucidchart (https://www.lucidchart.com), and mindmaps (https://www.mindmaps.app). Students can create mind maps in their favorite word processing or presentation software. Examples of these include Google Workspace (https://workspace.google.com/) and Microsoft Office 365 (https://www.office.com/), though there are other freely available office productivity software packages. Analysis and Designing Project Theme As a result of exploration, research, and ideation, students should be able to develop a project theme. Students should make a plan describing how they would solve the engineering problem. When working on the Automatic Dog Food Dispenser STEM PBL activity, students’ research should lead them to design a project theme that may look something like this: Our automatic dog food dispenser will dispense food at predetermined time intervals. The dispenser will use a container to store one pound of dog food, and a gate will allow one cup of dog food to flow down to the food tray. There will be a switch to control the gate and a controller to control the switch. The teacher should evaluate the description of the theme to assess if it correlates with the objectives of the STEM PBL activity. Skills Training The description of the STEM PBL activity along with the research, ideation, and analysis phases should also encourage students to identify the skills and materials they will need to successfully complete the task. Students can use the FOS office productivity tool of their choice to document their project theme and a skill training requirement. This key juncture in the life of the STEM PBL activity is a very important one because at this point students have themselves identified the skills they will need to acquire to be able to complete the necessary tasks. This ownership of the problem at hand and the desire to learn new skills can be a great motivator for students to explore academic areas that they may not explore otherwise. This drive will also help students work through their failures and continue to work on the problem with grit and consistency. Some of the required skills identified by the students to successfully complete the Automatic Dog Food Dispenser STEM PBL activity should include things like, “How will I connect a gate with a switch to the food container?,” “How do I control a switch or gate with a microcontroller?,” What is that switch called?,” How do I code or program the microcontroller to open and close the gate at a predetermined interval?,” among others. This is a perfect time in the STEM PBL life cycle for the teacher to introduce new concepts and learning. Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL 221 Skills training is one of the most important aspects of STEM PBL, but skills training can become a tricky prospect when the skills are related to physical objects and processes. In the case of STEM PBL, which is based in the engineering design process, students are required to solve a real-life problem, such as the one presented in the Automatic Dog Food Dispenser activity. This necessitates that teachers are able to furnish students with all the electronic materials and peripherals required for learning new skills, completing the tasks, and successfully arriving at the well-defined outcome. Table 7 lists some materials and components needed for completing the Automatic Dog Food Dispenser STEM PBL activity. The pictures of these components are provided in Figure 3. Teachers can use Table 7 as a guide to designing lessons that introduce students to components needed to successfully complete a STEM PBL activity. The skills training students receive in this phase of the project can help them successfully complete the project and arrive at the well-defined outcome. Phase III – Prototype Building, Testing, and Refinement Prototyping is an important part of the engineering design process. At this stage in the design process, students are ready to take their design solutions and put them in a physical form. Prototyping allows students to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of their design solution. Students can build their design solutions using a diverse set of FOS tools to present both in a virtual form and as a physical product. Virtual Prototyping Students can build a prototype of their design solution using FOS tools. The design solution for the Automatic Dog Food Dispenser could be a new product or a “gadget” that could attach to an existing dog food dispenser to accomplish automation. In either case, students can use one of many freely available computer aided design (CAD) tools to prepare a virtual prototype of their product. AutoDesk’s TinkerCAD (https://www.tinkercad.com/dashboard) is an example of an FOS CAD tool that is easy to learn and use. The software allows students to draw three- dimensional (3D) shapes and place and manipulate them in a virtual setting. The resulting shapes can then be exported to be printed on a 3D printer or sent out for laser cutting. TinkerCAD is a beginner software and does not have the ability to simulate movements of parts, however. Advanced students can instead opt to use Trimble’s Sketchup (https://www.sketchup.com/), a freely available CAD software capable of professional level design and simulation. Sketchup is far more advanced then TinkerCad and may be suitable for high school and post-secondary students. Students can also make physical prototypes of the design solution using cardboard and plastic materials as well as the electronic components shown in Table 7. Community sites, such as Instructables and GitHub, contain thousands of code examples that may be used to accomplish basic tasks needed of the electronic components, including automation for the dog food dispenser in the current example. 222 Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL Testing and Refinement Once the design has been virtually or physically prototyped, it needs to be tested to assess its performance. For the Automatic Dog Food Dispenser PBL activity, students must assess the functionality of the device to check if it can hold and dispense the correct amount of dog food. They must make sure that the servo or stepper motor is only moving the door the appropriate distance and for enough time to allow a maximum of one cup of dog food to be dispensed. Testing the functionality of the device will produce data that will help students improve their data collection and interpretation abilities. The data collected from testing will also help students make decisions about refining the design solution. This would be a perfect time for the instructor to remind students that although the engineering design process seems like a circle, it is anything but. Students should be encouraged to refine their design by going back to the drawing board and learning from their experiences. Table 7 Components for Automatic Dog Food Dispenser STEM PBL Component Function Arduino Serves as the brain for the project. Microcontroller Accepts inputs from sensors and collectors. Outputs results to screen or other output device. Controls motors, servos, LEDs, relays, and other peripherals. Servo Motors Provides controlled linear or angular motion. The shaft of the servo motor can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise between 0 and 180 degrees. Servos are used to move objects, such as gates, precise distances using corresponding angular movement. DC Motors Provides continuous linear or angular motion. The shaft of the DC motor can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise at variable speeds. DC motors are used to move wheels and gears at constant or variable speeds. DC Motor A microcontroller device used to control the speed and direction of one or more DC motors. Controller Accepts inputs (power level/direction) from Arduino and directs the motor to perform the desired operation. ESP8266 Module Provides Wi-Fi connectivity for the project. Serves as a bridge between Arduino microcontroller and the connected device. Can be used to send data collected from sensors and processed by Arduino to the internet; can also receive commands from the user over the internet and relay them to the Arduino microcontroller for processing. LED Light-emitting diode (LED) outputs light when currents flow through it. LEDs can be used to indicate the status of the project (e.g., green for “on” and red for “off”). Jumper Wires Small wires used to connect the Arduino microcontroller to other peripherals. Come in three types: Male/Male, Male/Female, and Female/Female. Used for prototyping. Bread Board A prototyping board used for experimenting. Enables users to try the code on the microcontroller in combination with other peripherals. Jumper cables and electronic components are placed on the bread board to connect different peripherals to the microcontroller. Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL 223 Figure 3. Components for Automatic Dog Food Dispenser STEM PBL Arduino Microcontroller Servo Motors DC Motors DC Motor Controller ESP8266 Module LED Jumper Wires Bread Board 224 Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL Phase IV – Communication and Reflection Engineers are problem solvers, and they “engineer” solutions to given problems. All through the PBL activity, the instructor should remind students that designing a solution and testing the prototype is not enough. They must be able to communicate their design solution to their audience as well. In the case of the Automatic Dog Food Dispenser PBL activity, students are expected to present the virtual or physical prototypes of their design solutions to their peers and guests. Project Presentation Each group should prepare a presentation for their design solution and present their product prototype. Students can use FOS tools such as Google Workspace (https://workspace.google.com/), Microsoft Office 365 (https://www.office.com/), or many other freely available office productivity software to prepare their presentations. Instructors should use rubrics, such as those provided by Morgan et al. (2013), to assess oral presentations as a whole (p. 155), individual presentations (p. 157), and group presentations (p. 159). To help students prepare for the final presentations and to make clear the expectations attached to the presentations, the instructor should provide students with the above-mentioned rubrics at the beginning of the PBL activity. This would eliminate any surprises on the day of the presentations. Evaluation/Assessment Instructors should ensure that the assessment of the PBL activity is fair and transparent. Students should have a clear understanding of accountability and what is expected of them in order to successfully complete the PBL activity. The Accountability Record Rubric (Morgan et al., 2013, p. 177) is an ideal way to inform students of their expectations and what consequences their grade may suffer as a result of neglecting their responsibilities towards the project. Students should also be encouraged to be good team members. The expectations for being an effective peer should be communicated using the Peer Evaluation Handout and the Leadership/Effort Bonus Worksheet (Morgan et al. 2013, p. 179–181). These rubrics should be made available to the students at the onset of the PBL activity, and copies of these rubrics should also be sent home for parents’ knowledge. Instructors can use FOS tools to create, score, and analyze the presentation and accountability rubrics. Google Forms (https://docs.google.com/forms) is a popular FOS tool for designing forms to collect survey data from users. This tool can also be used to prepare rubrics that the instructor can easily populate with scores during students’ presentations. Group members can also use this tool to assign accountability scores to their peers. The data collected through the online forms are stored on the Google cloud and can be viewed and downloaded in the form of a spreadsheet. As an added bonus, Google also provides visual representations of the Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL 225 aggregated data (bar graphs, dot plots, pie charts, etc.). Visual analysis of data can quickly alert the instructor to any underlying issues present within the groups or the PBL activity itself. Conclusion The availability of FOS tools and affordable open-source hardware has opened the doors to prototyping for all. Prototyping product design solutions is not the domain of a few anymore, but is an accessible option for the masses. The ever-growing community’s support around FOS hardware and software tools (see Table 3 & 4) has also made prototyping a reality for students. Students as early as the elementary grades can now prototype their design solutions using 3D printers. The FOS hardware and software ecosystem is growing, and with it the opportunities for engaging students in hands-on, engineering design-centered PBL activities is growing as well. The potential of FOS hardware and software tools should encourage teacher education institutions and certification granting bodies to make efforts at better integrating these tools into their curriculum and instruction. A pre-service teacher who has been exposed to the uses of FOS hardware and software tools in teaching and learning practices will have a better chance of integrating FOS tools into their teaching practices as a teacher of record in their own classrooms. And a teacher who is able and willing to integrate FOS hardware and software tools into their teaching practice will be able to provide more students with hands-on and effective learning. Reflection Questions and Activities 1. What parallels exist between the engineering design process, STEM PBL, and the Teacher Project-Based Learning Checklist? 2. What resources are available for teachers who wish to implement a STEM PBL activity within their classroom? What about for students engaging in a STEM PBL activity? 3. Go to one of these resources and select an available project description that interests you. How might you implement this as a STEM PBL activity in your classroom (walk through each of the phases discussed in this chapter)? What curriculum learning objectives might it meet? What challenges might you encounter? What benefits to learning might your students receive from engaging in it? 4. What skills would you personally need to develop in order to successfully teach the above STEM PBL activity? How might you go about developing these skills? References Morgan, J., Moon, A. M., & Barroso, L. R. (2013). Engineering better projects. In R. M. Capraro & S. W. Slough (Eds.), STEM project-based learning: An integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) approach (pp. 29–39). Sense. Jalinus, N., Nabawi, R. A., & Mardin, A. (2017). The seven steps of project based learning model to enhance productive competences of vocational students. In M. Khairudin, P. Sukirno, & T. Sutikno (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Technology and Vocational Teachers (ICTVT 2017) (pp. 251–256). Atlantis Press. 226 Open-Source Hardware and Software with STEM PBL