RoboLikha extension program for inclusive STEM and sustainable development

Creative technologies robotics education teacher capacity building training of trainors community engagement student mentorship

Authors

  • Helen Grace Gonzales
    helengrace.gonzales@ustp.edu.ph
    University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines, Philippines

This paper presents the outcomes of RoboLikha: Creative Technology for Inclusive STEM Learning, the flagship extension program of the College of Technology, University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP). The program was designed to address inequities in STEM education across underserved schools in Northern Mindanao through teacher training, student mentoring, community-centered deployment, and institutional partnerships aligned with the USTP CARES pillars and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The methodology adopted a holistic and participatory framework combining caravans, training of trainers, workshops, research mentoring, and competitions. From 2023 to 2025, RoboLikha capacitated more than 200 teachers, engaged over 600 students, and reached 3,800+ community participants across Region 10. Six investigatory projects were co-developed at Cagayan de Oro National High School, two of which received national recognition at the 2025 National Science and Engineering Fair. Teachers also transformed their participation into funded research outputs, demonstrating that extension work can directly enhance professional growth and curriculum innovation. These results validate RoboLikha as a transformative and scalable model of inclusive STEM education. With a forward roadmap to 2030, the program envisions expanding to ten fully engaged schools, institutionalizing innovation expos, and developing Creative Tech champions to sustain robotics and creative technology integration nationwide.