Educational Robotics Research Articles

2022 개정 실과교육과정 기술 영역 성취기준에 대한 예비교사의 인식 분석

This study was conducted to examine the need for pre-service teachers to be considered in the education stage of the 2022 revised practical arts curriculum in order for the curriculum to effectively reflect the educational field. In order to achieve this purpose, researchers analyzed pre-service teachers' perceptions of technical area achievement standards in the 2022 revised practical course.
 This study’s results revealed several key findings. Firstly, pre-service teachers recognized the importance of educational content and the ability of teachers to educate students in reaching technology achievement standards related to the use of artificial intelligence, computers, digital devices, and robotics. Secondly, pre-service teachers’ perception of educational performance ability on achievement standards was relatively high as it related to cyberspace, digital devices, and plants. Thirdly, the Matrix analysis confirmed the need for intensive education of pre-service teachers to assist them in developing theoretical and practical skills in robotics, computing, and artificial intelligence. It was also found that high interest was needed in pre-service teacher education in intellectual property, digital devices, robotics, computing, and artificial intelligence.
 This study and analysis led to three conclusions. Firstly, in order for pre-service teachers to apply the 2022 revised practical arts curriculum to the educational field, it is necessary to actively educate them in the areas of artificial intelligence, computing, digital devices, robotics, and intellectual property rights. Secondly, pre-service teachers must be instructed in the value of achievement standards related to agriculture, along with other subjects that have been newly introduced to the curriculum, such as transportation technology and construction technology.
 Thirdly, the educational content to be emphasized in the pre-service teacher education stage should be carefully selected, focusing on the importance of achievement standards and the abilities of pre-service teachers.

Penerapan Computational Thinking Melalui Media Permainan Robot Untuk Melatih Kemampuan Critical Thinking Siswa SMK Taruna Persada Dumai

Computational thinking (CT) is the ability to think in formulating problems and solutions by thinking logically step by step to be able to determine an effective decision. CT can be embedded in all subjects, one of which is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Not all teachers are competent, and not all students are interested in it. This PkM applies computational thinking in STEM classes by providing realistic views of the STEM field to students through an educational robot game called Robot Edison. This workshop uses the pre-test and post-test methods to measure the increase in students' knowledge. Students do the pre-test questions, and after being given CT material and robot games, students work on the post-test questions. The number of students who took this test amounted to 16 people. Students experienced an increase in post-test scores for SMA-level questions by 66.7%. All students strongly agree (100%) that the material provided can improve their insights and abilities as vocational students. When playing with the Robot, the students looked enthusiastic and happy and were starting to think critically when making decisions on a problem effectively, and one group successfully completed the robot challenge in about 30 minutes

Robot illustrated: Exploring elementary students’ perceptions of robots via the draw-a-robot test

Robotics education has drawn great attention in K-12 education worldwide. Hence, it is worthwhile to explore how students perceive robots. This exploratory study used the draw-a-picture technique to explore elementary school students’ perceptions of robots. A total of 1069 Chinese elementary school students were enrolled to illustrate how they perceive robots through the Draw-a-Robot Test (DART). A coding checklist (DART-C) was developed to capture the contents of student drawings. Data analysis showed that there are stereotypical perceptions of robots held by elementary school students. The majority of students portrayed a special robot doing services in a home-based scene with no human aside. In addition, remarkable cross-grade and cross-gender differences were identified in students’ perceptions of robots. Based on the findings, several implications were proposed for the future development of robotics education. Therefore, this study can set a solid foundation for future research on robotics education.

A Systematic Literature Review on the Applications of Robots and Natural Language Processing in Education

Natural language processing (NLP) is the art of investigating others’ positive and cooperative communication and rapprochement with others as well as the art of communicating and speaking with others. Furthermore, NLP techniques may substantially enhance most phases of the information-system lifecycle, facilitate access to information for users, and allow for new paradigms in the usage of information-system services. NLP also has an important role in designing the study, presenting two fields converging on one side and overlapping on the other, namely the field of the NAO-robot world and the field of education, technology, and progress. The selected articles classified the study into four categories: special needs, kindergartens, schools, and universities. Our study looked at accurate keyword research. They are artificial intelligence, learning and teaching, education, NAO robot, undergraduate students, and university. In two fields of twelve journals and citations on reliable/high-reputation scientific sites, 82 scientific articles were extracted. From the Scientific Journal Rankings (SJR) website, the study samples included twelve reliable/high-reputation scientific journals for the period from 2014 to 2023 from well-known scientific journals with a high impact factor. This study evaluated the effect of a systematic literature review of NAO educational robots on language programming. It aimed to be a platform and guide for researchers, interested persons, trainees, supervisors, students, and those interested in the fields of NAO robots and education. All studies recognized the superiority and progress of NAO robots in the educational field. They concluded by urging students to publish in highly influential journals with a high scientific impact within the two fields of study by focusing on the study-sample journals.

Engaging Learners in Educational Robotics: Uncovering Students’ Expectations for an Ideal Robotic Platform

Extensive research has been conducted on educational robotics (ER) platforms to explore their usage across different educational levels and assess their effectiveness in achieving desired learning outcomes. However, the existing literature has a limitation in regard to addressing learners’ specific preferences and characteristics regarding these platforms. To address this gap, it is crucial to encourage learners’ active participation in the design process of robotic platforms. By incorporating their valuable feedback and preferences and providing them with platforms that align with their interests, we can create a motivating environment that leads to increased engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses and improved learning outcomes. Furthermore, this approach fosters a sense of absorption and full engagement among peers as they collaborate on assigned activities. To bridge the existing research gap, our study aimed to investigate the current trends in the morphology of educational robotics platforms. We surveyed students from multiple schools in Greece who had no prior exposure to robotic platforms. Our study aimed to understand students’ expectations of an ideal robotic companion. We examined the desired characteristics, modes of interaction, and socialization that students anticipate from such a companion. By uncovering these attributes and standards, we aimed to inform the development of an optimal model that effectively fulfills students’ educational aspirations while keeping them motivated and engaged.

Development of a Classification System for Live Surgical Feedback

Live feedback in the operating room is essential in surgical training. Despite the role this feedback plays in developing surgical skills, an accepted methodology to characterize the salient features of feedback has not been defined. To quantify the intraoperative feedback provided to trainees during live surgical cases and propose a standardized deconstruction for feedback. In this qualitative study using a mixed methods analysis, surgeons at a single academic tertiary care hospital were audio and video recorded in the operating room from April to October 2022. Urological residents, fellows, and faculty attending surgeons involved in robotic teaching cases during which trainees had active control of the robotic console for at least some portion of a surgery were eligible to voluntarily participate. Feedback was time stamped and transcribed verbatim. An iterative coding process was performed using recordings and transcript data until recurring themes emerged. Feedback in audiovisual recorded surgery. The primary outcomes were the reliability and generalizability of a feedback classification system in characterizing surgical feedback. Secondary outcomes included assessing the utility of our system. In 29 surgical procedures that were recorded and analyzed, 4 attending surgeons, 6 minimally invasive surgery fellows, and 5 residents (postgraduate years, 3-5) were involved. For the reliability of the system, 3 trained raters achieved moderate to substantial interrater reliability in coding cases using 5 types of triggers, 6 types of feedback, and 9 types of responses (prevalence-adjusted and bias-adjusted κ range: a 0.56 [95% CI, 0.45-0.68] minimum for triggers to a 0.99 [95% CI, 0.97-1.00] maximum for feedback and responses). For the generalizability of the system, 6 types of surgical procedures and 3711 instances of feedback were analyzed and coded with types of triggers, feedback, and responses. Significant differences in triggers, feedback, and responses reflected surgeon experience level and surgical task being performed. For example, as a response, attending surgeons took over for safety concerns more often for fellows than residents (prevalence rate ratio [RR], 3.97 [95% CI, 3.12-4.82]; P = .002), and suturing involved more errors that triggered feedback than dissection (RR, 1.65 [95% CI, 1.03-3.33]; P = .007). For the utility of the system, different combinations of trainer feedback had associations with rates of different trainee responses. For example, technical feedback with a visual component was associated with an increased rate of trainee behavioral change or verbal acknowledgment responses (RR, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.03-1.20]; P = .02). These findings suggest that identifying different types of triggers, feedback, and responses may be a feasible and reliable method for classifying surgical feedback across several robotic procedures. Outcomes suggest that a system that can be generalized across surgical specialties and for trainees of different experience levels may help galvanize novel surgical education strategies.

Attitudes of Secondary School Students towards Robotics And Coding In STEM Education With Tinkercad

The aim of the research is to investigate the attitudes of middle school students towards robotics and coding in STEM education with Tinkercad. A total of 32 secondary school students (12 girls and 20 boys) participated in the 6-week study. The research lasted 6 weeks. Quantitative research method was used in this study. Two scales were used in the study. Robotic attitude scale for middle school students and attitude scale for coding for middle school students were applied. The research was conducted in the form of pre-test and post-test. Analyzes were made by applying the t test for dependent samples. According to the data obtained from the findings, it is seen that there is a positive significant difference in the robotic attitude scale for secondary school students and the attitude scale for coding for secondary school students. Arduino IDE program was used over Tinkercad portal. In the research, 4 applications were made and their knowledge was reinforced. Robotic coding applications prepared in accordance with STEM education were prepared. It has increased the interest of secondary school students in STEM education. This study is important in terms of transforming theoretical knowledge into products and acquiring 21st century skills.

A low-cost table-top robot platform for measurement science education in robotics and artificial intelligence

Robotics and artificial intelligence represent highly interdisciplinary fields, which – in particular on the bachelor level - makes providing a strong fundamental background in the education challenging. With respect to lab exercises in measurement, one approach to provide interdisciplinary hands-on experience is to embed experiments for measurement science in a robotic context. We present a low-cost robot platform that can be used to address several measurement science and sensor topics, and also other aspects such as machine learning, actuators and mechanics. The 3D printed chassis can be equipped with different sensors for environment perception but also be adapted to different embedded PC platforms. In order to also introduce concepts of robot simulation and realization approaches in a hands-on fashion, the table-top robot is also available as a digital twin in the simulation environments Gazebo and CoppeliaSim®, where, e.g., limitations of simulations and required adaption of models to consider non ideal effects of sensors can be studied.

GAMIFIED EDUCATIONAL ROBOTS LEAD AN INCREASE IN MOTIVATION AND CREATIVITY IN STEM EDUCATION

The combination of education and robots is becoming an increasingly important issue. Although researchers have conducted some studies on educational robotics in STEM education at the undergraduate level, no research examined the effects of gamified educational robotics on participants’ motivation and creativity. Therefore, this study examines the effects of gamified educational robots on participants’ learning motivation and creativity in STEM. A quasi-experimental research design was used in this study. A total of 108 students from two classes enrolled in the information technology course were involved as participants. Learning motivation and creativity scales were used to collect data. The participants were introduced to a gamified educational robot as the course objective, learning content, and game mechanism to increase motivation and help students solve problems. In contrast, students in the control group received conventional instruction consisting of group discussions and lectures. Activities in both groups were held for eighteen weeks in three phases. The results showed that gamified educational robots could enhance learning motivation and positively influence learners' creativity. The results also indicate that learning motivation has significant effects on creativity, and students with high motivation perform better in terms of creativity. The results strengthen interdisciplinary STEM teaching and promote students' learning outcomes. Keywords: gamification in STEM education, educational robot, STEM curriculum, learning motivation

Evaluation of teachers’ orchestration tools usage in robotic classrooms

Teachers’ self-efficacy in managing classrooms is an important consideration when it comes to bringing educational robots to classrooms. Orchestration tools support teachers by providing awareness indicators of students’ progress as well as levers to control the flow of the lesson. We designed and evaluated the impact of an orchestration tool for a series of robot-based learning activities to teach a basic concept in mathematics to children, aged 7-10. Six teachers in primary schools across Switzerland used the orchestration tool to manage the activities in six sessions involving a total of ninety-one students. We observed teachers’ usage of the orchestration tool during the sessions and interviewed them after the sessions about the usefulness of these functionalities. Our findings show that even though teachers used the tool in different ways from each other, in general, it supported them in their classroom orchestration practices, mainly to manage the activity sequence and get aware of the robot technical failures and, to a lesser degree, get aware of students’ progress for the purpose of activity transitions and enriching class discussions. We discuss the theoretical implications of these results, relating our findings to the literature on classroom orchestration tool design, especially highlighting the importance of educational level and the type of learning technology as contextual factors affecting teachers’ usage of orchestration tools. We also provide implications for designing orchestration tools, focusing on the necessity of providing different types of awareness indicators and multiple options for activity management to fulfil the variety of teachers’ orchestration needs.

Entrepreneurship in Africa and Media Education in Higher Education

This article discusses two separate topics. The first one is about a media education study on robotics conducted by Italian and Congolese researchers. The study analyzed qualitative data collected from 50 Italian and 70 Congolese students to identify cultural factors that affect the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in robotics education. The second topic is about the rise of entrepreneurship among young Africans. The article describes the growth of technology centers in African cities and the development of innovative startups. The author emphasizes the importance of implementing strategies that promote entrepreneurship among young Africans, identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and provide realistic and achievable goals.

A Study on Robotic Education in Schools at Coimbatore

Abstraction is a valuable approach to teaching robotics to students in Coimbatore. It simplifies complex concepts, making them more accessible. Modular design breaks down robots into parts, helping students understand how they work. Simulations provide a safe environment for students to experiment with robot behaviors. Simplified programming focuses on key concepts, making coding more accessible. Abstraction inspires students and prepares them for careers in robotics, benefiting Coimbatore's growing industry.

Winning Robotics Competition Strategy: Theory of Creating Projects in Robotics Education

The subject of robotics in education has a significant impact on the development of skills of students. Studying the main factors motivating robotics to participate in competitions, project competitions, and win prizes is always relevant. There are many competitions in robotics. In particular, one of the competitions for developing robotics in education is WRO. However, it is essential to know and research several factors that can lead to a place in a competition and support young coaches and participants. Higher education institutions that already have courses in educational robotics can benefit from the proposed approach, which allows them to develop new projects with robotics elements.

Integrating educational robot and low-cost self-made toys to enhance STEM learning performance for primary school students

ABSTRACT The application of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education in solving real-world problems is challenging. To tackle this challenge, a project-based learning approach that integrates robots with cost-effective self-made toys to problem-solving was adopted to assist rural primary school students to apply STEM skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the project-based learning approach which includes lecturing and hands-on activities on primary school students’ STEM learning outcomes and attitudes. An experiment was conducted with 25 primary school students who voluntarily participated in a STEM summer-camp programme. Students were asked to assemble a paper house equipped with an IoT control module and LED light switches, and write and edit robot scripts to produce a robot-based storytelling narrative using the paper house they made as a context. The results show that the project-based learning approach was an effective approach for cultivating primary school students’ STEM knowledge and skills as evidenced from the post-written test. The relationships between the students’ STEM learning outcomes and attitudes were also confirmed by a clustering analysis. Students who had higher learning attitudes also achieved higher STEM learning outcomes; the findings are also supported by the feedback from the open-ended questionnaire items. This study suggests that integrating low-cost self-made toys and robots in project-based learning activities is an effective and practical approach to enhance primary school students’ learning outcomes and learning attitudes in STEM education.

Computational thinking and creativity: interrelationships with problem solving

The present work is the report of a research, using the EPECREL methodology developed by the Educational Technology Study Group – GETEC-EDU of the Postgraduate Program in Teaching Natural Sciences and Mathematics at FURB, with the objective of developing a methodology for Teaching Computational Thinking using Free Educational Robotics (EPECREL). This methodology was thought and developed to be applied in a transdisciplinary and multireferential environment and has its reference in Ausubel's theory of Assimilation and in Vygotsky. The EPECREL methodology makes use of Free Educational Robotics (REL) as a potentially significant material for the insertion of mathematical contents in a more practical and less abstract way, which is used for the construction of mathematical concepts and technological artifacts. In this context, we try to understand how to use RE as a way of acquiring references.

Impact of artificial intelligence on assessment methods in primary and secondary education: Systematic literature review

The educational sector can be enriched by the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) in various aspects. The field of artificial intelligence and its applications in the education sector give rise to a multidisciplinary field that brings together computer science, statistics, psychology and, of course, education. Within this context, this review aimed to synthesise existing research focused on provide improvements on primary/secondary student assessment using some AI tool. Thus, nine original research studies (641 participants), published between 2010 and 2023, met the inclusion criteria defined in this systematic literature review. The main contributions of the application of AI in the assessment of students at these lower educational levels focus on predicting their performance, automating and making evaluations more objective by means of neural networks or natural language processing, the use of educational robots to analyse their learning process, and the detection of specific factors that make classes more attractive. This review shows the possibilities and already existing uses that AI can bring to education, specifically in the evaluation of student performance at the primary and secondary levels.

KIERO (Kids Education Robot ) Educational Robot for Children's Learning Friends

The development of the child's brain at the age of 0-6 years is so rapid. At that time the child's brain development can reach 80% compared to adulthood. Therefore, a media is needed that can maximize the potential of children's brain development in the golden period which is adjusted to the times. In the era of Society 5.0 as it is now, it has become an important thing for us to prepare the next generation. In the era of Society 5.0, the use of IoT and robotics is very necessary, therefore a way is needed to provide an introduction to robotics and IoT from an early age to children. This can be done by creating robot-based learning media, not only training children's readiness, but this learning media is able to provide a great stimulus for children's motor development. With good motor development, of course, it can support cognitive development. The workings of a robot that uses RFID as an input center also provides a modern way of working, so that children are invited to learn a new way of working, this can invite them to hone their critical thinking, creative and problem solving skills

Implementing and sustaining coding and robotics practices in rural elementary school districts: an activity theory perspective

In this study, we investigated a rural school district’s endeavor to implement and sustain coding and robotics integration into their elementary school classrooms. Our data sources were teacher and administrator interviews, video recordings of teachers’ learning of coding and robotics, and artifacts. The analysis showed that administrators and teachers developed deeper interests in including coding and robotics practices in their schools, particularly when they observed the relevancy of coding and robotics education for elementary schools. The analysis also revealed some contradictions in the implementation and sustainability of coding and robotics practices/instruction in the district. Some of these contradictions were related to the contextual and situational realities of teachers’ jobs, such as their time frames to cover the curriculum.

An Experimental Methodology for Introducing Educational Robotics and Storytelling in Therapeutical Activities for Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Educational robotics is a valuable tool in education and therapy for children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), especially when introduced in activities, combined with gamification and storytelling elements. However, the lack of familiarity of therapists with the technologies involved makes their widespread introduction difficult and leads to case-specific rather than more generalizable methods. In this paper, we present an experimental methodology which provides a guide for the introduction of these elements in therapeutical activities with children with NDD. Providing a common framework reduces the gap between the different expertise of therapists, educators, and engineers. While establishing a common vocabulary and objectives, the methodology provides a guide for designing activities and evaluating their therapeutic effectiveness. We provide an example with a pilot study using a low-cost robot (Ozobot) in a therapeutic environment. Results regarding the children’s task involvement, level of attention, and use of social skills were positive. In addition, the attitude of some children changed throughout the sessions, improving frustration tolerance. The discussion of the pilot study provides clues for improving future implementations of the presented methodology, which serves as a framework for the design of future experiments that include therapeutic activities with educational robotics, gamification, and storytelling.

The Effect of Artificial Intelligence Techniques on Motor Interaction and Its Relationship to Some Offensive Skills in Kickboxing (Educational Robot)

The Effect of Artificial Intelligence Techniques on Motor Interaction and Its Relationship to Some Offensive Skills in Kickboxing (Educational Robot)