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. 2020 Jul 1;20(13):3698.
doi: 10.3390/s20133698.

Social STEAM Learning at an Early Age with Robotic Platforms: A Case Study in Four Schools in Spain

Elena Jurado  1 , David Fonseca  1 , Jorge Coderch  2 , Xavi Canaleta  1
Affiliations

Social STEAM Learning at an Early Age with Robotic Platforms: A Case Study in Four Schools in Spain

Elena Jurado et al. Sensors (Basel). .

Abstract

Robotics is one of the key learnings in a world where learners will interact with multiple robotic technologies and operating systems throughout their lives. However, school teachers, especially in the elementary and primary education stages, often have difficulties incorporating these tools in the classroom. Four elementary teachers in three schools in Catalonia were trained to introduce robotics in the classroom to seventy-five students. The main actions consisted in classroom accompaniment by a university-trained support teacher, curricular materials' development, and assessment of the students' and teachers' learning. The designed contents and evaluation criteria took into account the potential of educational robotics to improve soft skills and to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) interdisciplinary learning. Teachers perceived the training to be supportive and useful and ended the school year feeling confident with the used robotic platform (KIBO). The assessment of the students' learning showed an average mark of 7.1-7.7 over 10 in the final evaluation criteria. Moreover, students' learning was higher in the classes where the teachers had higher initial interest in the training. We present and analyse the actions carried out, with a critical and constructive look at extending the experience to other educational centers.

Keywords: KIBO robot; STEAM; educational robotics; elementary education; human–robot interaction; teacher education.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results. On the other hand, the legal tutors of the students who participated in this study signed a consent to appear in photographs and assessments for educational and research purposes.

Figures

Figure A1
Figure A1
Details of a sample session of the developed curriculum.
Figure A1
Figure A1
Details of a sample session of the developed curriculum.
Figure A2
Figure A2
Questionnaire delivered to the teachers participating in this study before the training.
Figure A3
Figure A3
Questionnaire delivered to the teachers participating in this study after the training.
Figure A3
Figure A3
Questionnaire delivered to the teachers participating in this study after the training.
Figure A3
Figure A3
Questionnaire delivered to the teachers participating in this study after the training.
Figure 1
Figure 1
Teaching students with the KIBO robot.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Methodology of the teachers’ training.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Results of the final questionnaire, where each of the statements presented was scored from 1 to 5.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Correlation matrix containing Pearson’s correlation coefficients for each pair of variables: Light colours represent strong positive linear correlations, whereas dark colours document negative correlations. Orange suggests no correlation. Variables correspond to student’s marks in session 10 (S1), student’s final PTD evaluation criteria (S2), student’s increase between final and initial PTD evaluation criteria (S3), teacher’s performance during support (Tp), teacher’s initial level of programming ability (Tb), and teacher’s initial interest to receive support (Ti).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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