Agricultural Robotics and Automation Technologies (ARAT) Project

Free Professional Development, Curriculum, and Materials for CTE Teachers

The CASE Agricultural Robotics and Automation Technologies (ARAT) project is made possible by a 3-year National Science Foundation Project Grant led by a partnership between CASE, AgCentric, Minnesota State Colleges and industry partners.

CASE is seeking secondary partners to field test an automation and robotics curriculum in their classroom during the 2025-2026 school year. Teachers selected for this program will receive free professional development training on how to introduce robotic and autmation technical skills to students through interactive hands-on lessons. All travel, room, and meals are funded by NSF. Schools will be provided with the materials needed for teachers to field test the curriculum in their classrooms. As a field test, teachers are expected to implement the curriculum in their classroom and provide feedback for revisions and improvment.

Project Abstract

The ARAT curriculum will introduce students to concepts in automation and robotics in three systems: animal, plant, and food. The first unit introduces core concepts in automation and robotics, while the last unit guides students through an open-ended design project. Between these two units are three modules - animal, plant, and food applications. Teachers can incorporate these units independently or incorporate them together to meet their local curricular needs.

This project aims to serve the national interest by developing a new, industry and college-driven robotics and automation technician curriculum for secondary and two-year college students. The project includes professional development aligned with the curriculum. The project meets a documented industry need for increased numbers of qualified technicians nationwide with robotic competencies to work in both urban and isolated, rural areas. The significance and importance of this project will be reflected in the impact of the project to (1) meet current, pressing workforce needs in agriculture technologies and (2) enable students to potentially gain college credit or concurrent or articulated enrollment with 2- and 4-year institutions. The project meets the mission of NSF and the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program to advance, define, and disseminate the knowledge and skills that expand the progress of science knowledge and applications. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy.