Abstract
The emergence of Educational Robotics (ER) and its rapid spread across all levels of education in recent years has drawn attention to the need for further training in this discipline. In this study we discuss the panorama of teacher training research in ER and make recommendations for institutions that intend to implement ER teacher training programs. We explore three databases that include publications in ER teacher training and select 38 publications for analysis. We discuss these publications with special emphasis on requirements, durations, trainer and trainee profiles, pedagogical approaches and best practices. Our main findings are the lack of uniformity regarding the duration and requirements of training programs and the fact that information on trainer and trainee profiles is not always documented. ER teacher training programs are often not founded on theory. When they are based on pedagogical principles, however, these are usually constructivism/constructionism, inquiry-based learning or project-based learning. The most prominent best practices for ER teacher training fall into five categories: collaboration, materials, pedagogy, practice and feedback/support. Our recommendations will help to improve the content, structure and implementation of future ER teacher training programs and the reliability and generalizability of research results and design.
Highlights
Introducing digital technologies (DT), digital skills and coding into education is not just a recommendation but a requirement established by the European Union with which educational institutions in the EU must comply
2.1.1 Research questions & Research Question 1: What are the characteristics of Educational Robotics (ER) teacher training programs in terms of requirements, duration, trainer and trainee profiles and pedagogical approach?
3.1 Research question 1: What are the characteristics of ER teacher training programs in terms of requirements, duration, trainer and trainee profiles and pedagogical approaches?
Summary
Introducing digital technologies (DT), digital skills and coding into education is not just a recommendation but a requirement established by the European Union with which educational institutions in the EU must comply. The report puts special emphasis on developing digital skills, including coding that should be integrated into teaching and teacher training across all educational levels – from preschool education to life-long learning. The question remains whether teaching staff can live up to expectations and satisfy the requirements of introducing this new educational resource into their regular teaching activities to promote the development of students’ digital skills, including coding. Sisman and Kucuk (2019), for example, reported that many teachers are unaware of the benefits of ER and that those teachers who are remain unprepared to teach robotics This lack of readiness on the part of teachers regarding the use of robotics in their classrooms may be due to the lack of specialized training programs in educational institutions, the inadequate content of existing training programs, or other reasons. To enhance research in the field of ER teacher training, in this study we examine the teacher training programs documented in the literature, showcase the characteristics of implemented programs and their best practices, and make several recommendations for future ER teacher training programs and research
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