The Effects of Coding Education Using the Unplugged Robot Education System on the Perceived Useful and Easy

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of an unplugged robot education system capable of computerless coding education. Specifically, this study compared this education system with PicoCricket, an educational robot that can also be used with elementary students in lower grades, using assessment tools on perceived usefulness and ease. Using random sampling and randomized assignment for more objective validation, 30 participants were assigned to the unplugged robot education system group (experimental group) and 30 participants were assigned to the PicoCricket group (control group), for a total of 60 study participants. The research procedure included verification of the equivalence of the two groups by conducting a pretest after a 2-hour basic training session on algorithms and programming. The experimental and control groups learned the same content using different educational tools in accordance with software training guidelines for a total of 12 hours. Then, the difference in perceived usefulness and ease between the two groups was examined using a post-treatment test. The study results showed that scores on both dependent variables, perceived usefulness and perceived ease, were significantly higher in the experimental group than the control group. Moreover, scores on all sub-variables of the dependent variables were significantly higher in the experimental group than the control group. These results suggest that learners using the unplugged robot education system found it more useful and easier to use than learners using the existing educational robot, PicoCricket. This study’s findings are significant, as according to the technology acceptance model, the perceived usefulness and ease of an educational tool are important variables that determine the acceptance of the tool (i.e., persistence of learning).