Designing Robotics Kits for Low-Resource Communities: Lessons From the Field
In June 2024, Pueblo Science began integrating hands-on robotics lessons into our RISE training program in the Philippines. Teachers and students assembled a robotic car capable of detecting obstacles and experimented with sensors that measured temperature, heart rate, and vibration. All components were intentionally selected so teachers could purchase them from local online suppliers—an important step toward sustainability and long-term classroom use.
The lessons were well-received and aligned with the local curriculum, but we quickly discovered an important reality: for many teachers, this was their first exposure to robotics. Building a robot from scratch—and then programming it using the Arduino IDE—proved too challenging. Although participants were enthusiastic, few felt confident enough to implement the lessons independently after the training.
This experience revealed a critical insight: innovation must meet teachers where they are. When tools are too difficult to assemble or the programming too complex, even the most exciting STEM activities fail to translate into everyday classroom practice.
Co-Designing a Simpler, Smarter Robotics Kit
In January 2025, we invited Dr. Martin Labrecque to design a new robotics kit specifically tailored for low-resource communities. Our goal was simple yet ambitious:
a kit that students and teachers can build and program within one hour for high school students, and within two hours for elementary students.
Together with Prof. Cynthia Goh and Prof. David McMillen, we explored key design considerations:
Relevance: What builds would resonate with the communities we serve?
Simplicity: How could we remove complexity without sacrificing learning?
Cost: What price point would keep the kits affordable for schools?
Scalability: How could teachers confidently deliver lessons without outside support?
One design decision transformed the entire approach: reducing the tangle of wires. In 2024, wiring challenges were the biggest barrier. Dr. Labrecque proposed integrating most of the wiring directly onto the circuit board and adding connectors for sensors and motors. This allowed students to plug components in intuitively, dramatically lowering the learning curve and troubleshooting time.
We also incorporated connectors for previously used sensors, including pulse oximeters, vibration sensors, and thermistors, while designing builds that were both meaningful and manageable. A line-following and obstacle-detecting car became the centerpiece: engaging, robust, and easy to assemble.
Finally, the programming environment had to change. Arduino IDE and C++ were too intimidating for many teachers. We shifted to block-based programming, ensuring that anyone—on an Android phone, tablet, Chromebook, or laptop—could easily program the robot. This shift was essential to making robotics accessible in resource-limited classrooms.
Testing, Iteration, and Community Feedback
By March 2025, the first version of the kit was tested by teachers from First Nation communities at the Matawa Education Conference. Their feedback was invaluable and helped refine the design further.
A few weeks later, version 2 of the kit was introduced to Grades 3–8 students in North Spirit Lake. Seeing younger learners succeed with the builds confirmed that the new design was on the right track.
In preparation for the RISE programs in May, we refined the kit once again. With the help of University of Toronto students and dedicated Pueblo Science volunteers, we assembled 200 customized kits. Many volunteers had never soldered before, so we provided a crash course—an empowering experience that brought enthusiasm and ownership to the project. Even Prof. Goh joined us on weekends to support quality control.
Delivering Robotics Training in Two SE Asian Countries
In May, our team traveled across Southeast Asia with remarkable partners:
150 teachers trained in Banjarmasin, Indonesia, in collaboration with the University of Lambung Mangkurat
Workshops for educators and students in Palawan, Cebu, Iloilo, Masbate, and Ilocos Norte
100+ teachers and 300+ students reached, supported by six Canadian and twelve local volunteers
Each region presented unique needs and challenges, yet the simplicity of the new kit allowed teachers to focus on learning rather than troubleshooting.
A Promising Shift in Classroom Implementation
Perhaps the most encouraging outcome has been the significant increase in classroom adoption. In Masbate, especially, many teachers ordered additional kits, and we have provided follow-up refresher sessions via video call. Teachers now feel more confident—and that confidence is translating into real implementation.
This journey highlights a powerful truth in STEM education for underserved communities:
Technology alone does not create impact—accessibility, relevance, and teacher confidence do.
By designing robotics kits that reflect the realities of low-resource classrooms, we are not just teaching students how to build robots. We are helping communities build pathways to curiosity, resilience, problem-solving, and long-term scientific engagement.
This blog was written by Dr. Mayrose Salvador, the executive director of Pueblo Science