“Robotics have taken on a special interest in today’s education, and the number of educational programs introducing this aspect into their curriculum has grown in recent years, especially in developed countries” (López-Belmonte et al., 2021, p.2).
Why is it significant?
Costa (2017) notes that “robotics instruction moves from traditional teacher-driven instruction to hands-on in which collaborative teams of students use STEM knowledge to solve real-world problems” (p.33). López-Belmonte et al. (2021) state that “robotics in education generates a series of advantages, including learning to work in a team, increasing self-confidence, promoting entrepreneurship, developing skills, identifying and taking an interest in other disciplines, increasing concentration, increasing creativity, and promoting curiosity and increasing interest in mathematics.” (p.2).
What are the downsides and/or barriers and how might these be overcome?
“For robotics to be an integrated part of education systems, a number of aspects must be considered, which may make its inclusion in schools difficult. These include its high cost, the need to train teachers in the use of technological resources, students’ own digital competence, and the need for the pedagogical training of teachers” (López-Belmonte et al., 202, p.2-3).
What ethical considerations and best practices for implementation have been identified?
I hope humans will make good use of it as a beneficial tool to make the world a better place, such as using robots to do sophisticated surgery other than start the war.
Where is it going in the future?
The robotics in education will be more advanced, diverse, and competitive. Even though the technology of robotics is revolutionary, it will create more jobs instead of replacing all jobs.
What are the resources available in the community?
My school district’s emphasis on STEM subjects continues to expand with an elementary robotics course and a TK-2 iPad initiative, which gets young students involved in computer coding through games and robots. One of our elementary schools received $40,000 donated by International Game Technology for building a robot-equipped computer lab for students.
How Building Robots Captivates Kids' Imaginations: Is School Enough? Edutopia.
Robots in Schools: The Future of Student Success. TinyEYE Therapy Services
Why Robotics Should Be Central to All Education Programs | Ayden Haoken | TEDxYouth@SWA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8Kf5SrC1UQ
