Robotics In Education

Robotics is widely used in education across various levels, from primary schools to universities. Educational robotics involves the integration of robotics and related technologies into academic curricula and activities to enhance learning experiences.

So, What Advantages Do Robotics Bring To Education?

As A Learning Tool

In the classroom, robots are being used to teach children science and technology and to help students with disabilities. Assistive robotics helps reduce barriers for students with impaired mobility, enabling them to move around their campus and access academic buildings without assistance from others.

Education robots use facial features and emotion-perceiving technology to engage with students. They can be tutors, teaching assistants, and even peer learners. Research shows that learning with educational robots improves student outcomes such as computational thinking, spatial reasoning, and visuoconstruction abilities. A meta-analysis of the literature using the leave-one-out method found that teaching methods involving educational robots improve learning by 0.57 standard deviation, which is a moderate positive effect size.

Of course, robotics cannot provide everything to benefit students. For instance, they do not offer dissertation help, but the studies report that educational robotics effectively boosts student learning motivation, particularly autonomy, capability, and relatedness. These findings are consistent with contemporary learning theories such as active learning and social constructivism and can be attributed to the interactive nature of robots.

As A Supplement To Teachers

Teachers face several challenges, including increasing subject complexity and demands for special education. Furthermore, a shortage of teachers and limited resources in the classroom may lead to less effective learning results.

Robotics can help address these issues by enhancing the effectiveness of traditional teaching methods and attracting students’ interest. It is also an excellent tool for boosting students’ cognitive skills development.

Educational robots help learn computational thinking, which means to break down complex problems into smaller parts and find solutions through an orderly sequence of actions. It also helps them develop scientific attitudes, like curiosity, amazement, and analysis and promotes creativity.

One example is a study in which researchers used a pre-test/post-test design to measure the effect of robotics-integrated educational activities on the cognitive development of sixth graders. Their findings indicated that robotics-based education improved significantly in children’s CT and several other psychological areas.

Moreover, children involved in robotics can also work on their social and cultural thinking abilities. For instance, the activity allows them to develop their creativity by experimenting with different solutions and testing their ideas. They can learn how to work with robots and become more tolerant of frustration and setbacks, which is essential for developing philosophical thinking.

As A Research Tool

The growing importance of robotics in education calls for more research to be carried out on its effects and how it can best be used. This is the case in particular for neurodiversity, where robotics can be used to address specific learning needs, such as promoting cognitive flexibility for children with ASD through adaptive pedagogy.

Another area for research is educational robots as boundary objects that encourage children’s reflections about issues related to their use, including ethical concerns (e.g., the association of robots with violence). This can be done using narrative-based methodologies such as Art-Based and multimodal approaches to engage students in reflection about the construction of imaginaries about robotics.

Moreover, educational robotics can also be used to promote creativity and innovation in students through projects that allow them to verify that there is no unique, valid solution to a given problem by exploring multiple possibilities. This approach can be applied to disciplines such as STEM and social sciences like language learning.

As A Booster Of Creativity

Programmable robots allow students to build and program their robots, encouraging creativity. They can also use their robot to create a virtual world where they can perform experiments, work on problem-solving, and learn new concepts.

They can build their own models and robots, allowing them to funnily assimilate mathematical, physical, mechanical, or computer concepts. This increases their desire to learn and improves their cognitive functions like logic, reasoning, and scientific intuition.

It improves their self-esteem, as they can take as much time as they need to master a new concept. It works amazingly well for restless children and stimulates their imagination. Furthermore, it helps to develop their logical thinking and encourages them to be autonomous. The research on the subject found that educational robots positively impact learning, but the results vary depending on the type of robot and the study design.

To sum up, robotics can significantly enhance the educational process, making it more enjoyable and counterproductive. In the ever-evolving education landscape, robotics has emerged as a transformative force, revolutionizing how we teach and learn. As technology advances, so will the opportunities for students to unlock their full potential through the exciting world of educational robotics.

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