Robotics in School education
The intersection of science and technology.
Topic Index:
- Introduction
- Teaching methodology
- Benefits of robotics in school education
- Goals of educational robotics
- Conclusion
Introduction
Robotics is a compendium of different disciplines that provides children with knowledge related to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Transmitting this range of expertise to them in a transversal and fun way facilitates the development of logical thinking while stimulating their creativity and becoming familiar with the operation of programmable objects with which they are already in daily contact.
Educational robotics is a subdiscipline of robotics applied to the academic field that focuses on the design, analysis, implementation, and operation of robots. It can be taught at all educational levels, from nursery and primary education to postgraduate studies. Robotics can also encourage and facilitate instruction in other disciplines, such as computer programming, artificial intelligence, or design engineering.
This term has its origins in the twenties and has been developing until today, having great importance in education. In this area, a methodology is followed, highlighting its influence on the development of multiple intelligences and some bases to achieve a series of objectives. In addition, this discipline helps to respond to students with special educational needs.
Many schools are coming up with educational robotics to their curriculum, as it brings numerous benefits to students, not only academically but also on a personal and emotional level.
One of the characteristics of robotics is that it is always taught through gamification; that is, it is learned through play. Robotics makes it possible to assimilate mathematical, physical, mechanical, or computer concepts in a fun way and, consequently, improve the acquisition of skills that are part of the school curriculum.
Teaching methodology
There is a very close link between educational robotics and the theories of constructivism and active pedagogy. Constructivism is a dynamic process in which the construction of learning is carried out through experiences and not due to the transmission of knowledge. Therefore, using technological tools in the academic field provides another modality in the learning process, creating experiences for students to build their knowledge. Thus, we can visualize the direct relationship between constructivism and educational robotics.
The evolution of robots has led us to transmit knowledge about some educational fields related to electricity, electronics, and mechanics, without leaving programming behind.
Numerous studies show the general interest in the use of resources belonging to the field of robotics in educational centers to achieve the internalization of enriching content under the idea of learning by playing. The use of new strategies and methodologies according to the demands of the present in which we find ourselves is the premise that most justify the incorporation of robotics in the world of education.
Benefits of robotics in school education
Teamwork
Many of the challenges posed must be resolved to work as a team. This contributes to socialization and collaboration since only by coordinating and pooling knowledge/skills will they solve problems.
Leadership and confidence
As more complex tests are carried out, confidence in oneself and one’s abilities grow. This self-esteem is complemented by tolerance for frustration when they fail to do what is proposed to them the first time.
Promotion of entrepreneurship
Children develop new skills based on experiments and trial/error. That is why the desire to innovate, to think autonomously, and, consequently, to undertake their projects is awakened in them.
Logical thinking
Robotics encourages logic and reasoning, which is why it is indirectly valid for working on philosophical thinking. It is a process where numerical calculations and logical programming patterns can enhance the function of analytical thinking through the application of numerical calculations and logical programming patterns.
Psychomotricity
The assembly necessary to fit the parts of the projects/robots requires a work of psychomotricity and coordination.
Creativity
Imagination is always present as students must design different models, robots, constructions.
Curiosity
Discovering how a model is made or how a robot can move arouses curiosity and interest in learning new things. Faced with the traditional repetition system, the child himself is the protagonist as he has to make his material using his resources.
Concentration
Works amazingly for the most restless children who find it difficult to focus.
Mathematics
Improvement in problem-solving, mathematical operations, and reasoning.
Apart from these listed above, there are many advantages and benefits that robotics brings to the education and development of children, which is why it is so advisable to introduce it into the school curriculum from an early age:
- It allows the children themselves to be involved in their learning processes.
- It improves their self-esteem and their desire to improve, at the same time that it helps them improve their tolerance for frustration.
- They promote the development of logical thinking, scientific intuition, creativity.
- Develop your research and problem-solving skills.
- Develop your reading and writing skills.
- It makes it easier for the achievement of goals and objectives to become a habit.
- It forms them as subjects capable of thinking for themselves and of appreciating the value of self-motivation.
- Feed their evolution as self-taught.
- It fosters and stimulates skills that will be of enormous importance in their future professionals, such as analytical reasoning, logical reasoning, or critical thinking.
- It stimulates interest in technological sciences, one of the fields with the most significant professional future.
Goals of educational robotics
With the application of educational robotics in the classroom, different objectives can be set that influence the development of students at various educational levels.
Educational robotics offers excellent advantages to students in any of the academic stages in which it is worked. This means that it has clear and marked objectives that must be achieved. Some of these objectives are as follows:
- Develop the critical competencies of the educational curriculum and multiple intelligences.
- Facilitate a good work environment where good behavior, concentration, respect, and responsibility with the material prevail.
- Develop natural environments where the student can experiment, thus favoring the meaningful learning of theoretical concepts.
- Incorporate digital solutions in the interactive activities process, thus integrating the basic concepts of developing the applications used to understand their design.
- Develop understanding and mastery of the basics of the language of programming.
- Attend to diversity, since this type of project helps those students who have specific difficulties in some subjects to improve.
- Increase the active participation of students in their learning process, providing students with tools to achieve their own goals.
- Develop reasoning, intuitive logic, spatial perception, and fine motor skills.
- Facilitate the understanding of abstract concepts and gain functionality in learning.
- Enhance their abilities in problem-solving that is, computational and research thinking.
- Work on the creative thinking, imagination, and motivation of students and promote their autonomy.
- Implementation of the game as a convenient means of work, fostering creativity and exploration naturally and playfully.
- Develop new forms of communication and learning that go beyond traditional methods.
- Learn to work in a group and avoid frustration while promoting cooperation and teamwork.
- Promote learning by projects, applying educational robotics as a tool to work on content related to science, technology, or mathematics, among others.
Conclusion
The incorporation of new technologies in the classroom seeks to improve interdisciplinary learning environments where teachers can develop student creativity and cognitive ability. Robotics brings great benefits in education.
The use of educational robotics in the classroom encourages motivation, since students acquire an active role and build their own learning through this type of active methodologies.
So including robotics in education will be a great initiative for young minds. Do you agree? Share your thoughts with us!
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