Can educational robotics introduce young children to robotics and how can we measure it?
Studies have shown that educational robotics (ER) may impact student learning, especially in relation to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) areas. In the STEM framework, particularly for younger children, the "E" and the "T" are considered to be missing letters, because few stu...
| Published in: | Journal of Computer Assisted Learning Vol. 34; no. 6; pp. 970 - 978 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
| Format: | pictorial research tables/charts Journal Article |
| Published: |
Wiley-Blackwell
Dec2018
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=132914560&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 132914560 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 02664909 6M1 jtl: Journal of Computer Assisted Learning issn: 02664909 maglogo: Y pubinfo: dt: Dec2018 vid: 34 iid: 6 pid: 480 pub: Wiley-Blackwell place: Malden, Massachusetts artinfo: ui: 132914560 132914560 132914560 10.1111/jcal.12304 132914560 ppf: 970 ppct: 8 formats: tig: atl: Can educational robotics introduce young children to robotics and how can we measure it? aug: au: Castro, Emanuela Cecchi, Francesca Valente, Massimiliano Buselli, Elisa Salvini, Pericle Dario, Paolo affil: The BioRobotics Institute, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa Italy sug: subj: Robotics Methods Teaching Methods Robotics Education Students In Adolescence Student Assistance Programs Student Knowledge Protocols Male Female Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test Mann-Whitney U Test Sex Factors Science Technology Engineering Mathematics Teachers Adolescence Italy Child Quasi-Experimental Studies Pretest-Posttest Design Questionnaires Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test Human Funding Source Adolescent: 13-18 years Child: 6-12 years Male Female ab: Studies have shown that educational robotics (ER) may impact student learning, especially in relation to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) areas. In the STEM framework, particularly for younger children, the "E" and the "T" are considered to be missing letters, because few studies have concentrated on teaching and evaluating technology and engineering through ER activities. This study aimed to develop and test the efficacy of an ER protocol to teach robotics in a sample of 389 students, hypothesizing that girls would be as successful as boys. A Robotics Questionnaire assessing the basics of robotics was developed for this study. A Wilcoxon nonparametric test was performed in order to evaluate improvements (p < 0.05). A Mann–Whitney nonparametric test was performed in order to test the presence of gender differences (p < 0.05). Data indicated significant improvements for all the age ranges considered. No gender differences were found. In order to evaluate the efficacy of a didactic intervention utilizing ER, it is important to assess the impact on children's technological and engineering (robotics, in particular) knowledge. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Studies have shown that educational robotics (ER) has a potential impact on student learning.In the STEM framework, the "E" and the "T" are considered the STEM missing letters.What this paper adds: This study aims at developing and testing the efficacy of an ER protocol to teach robotics.The hypothesis that girls will be equally successful than boys is explored too, and no gender differences were found.Implications for practice and/or policy: Our results suggest that ER can be utilized to learn robotics, bringing technology in the schools.ER could be considered as a tool able to contribute to girl's involvement in STEM. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: pictorial research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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