Smart Learning with Educational Robotics Linda Daniela Editor

Smart Learning with Educational Robotics Linda Daniela Editor Smart Learning with Educational Robotics Using Robots to Scaffold Learning Outcomes Editor Linda Daniela Faculty of Education, Psychology, & Art University of Latvia Rīga, Latvia ISBN 978-3-030-19912-8 ISBN 978-3-030-19913-5 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19913-5 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. 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The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland Foreword The prosperity of today’s societies depends on the capacity of educators to deal with the changes and increasing complexity of the educational needs of the twenty-first- century citizens. Our society is dependent on the technological development. Therefore, it would be logical for educational institutions to promote digital literacy that goes beyond learning technology as users or consumers. They should teach basic skills that will allow new generations to become technology producers. This monograph explains that infusing robotics into the curriculum would help to reach this target. Educational robotics facilitate smart learning because technology is used to empower learners to develop innovative talents that involve computational thinking, programming skills, and collaboration in the construction of robots. Thus, it is not surprising that instruction through robotics has received increasing attention from educators all over the world, especially in recent years, regardless of the educational level. Many education professionals have begun to accept the chal- lenge of incorporating robotics into life in educational institutions due to their educational benefits. However, educational robotics is an area that is still in an initial phase of development. Today, not all educators are prepared to implement robotics in the classroom. Therefore, it is advantageous to organise, synthesise, and com- municate updated knowledge about educational robotics, in order to make it easier for novice educators in educational robotics to understand teaching supported by robots in the classroom and provide experts with other perspectives and avant-garde lines of work. Professor Linda Daniela is correct in identifying the need to elaborate a monograph on educational robotics. The monograph entitled Intelligent Learning with Educational Robotics has a different focus from other manuals on smart learning. It brings together experts in educational robotics from different parts of the world with the purpose of explaining the value of educational robotics in address- ing the challenges of learning and teaching in the twenty-first century. This monograph offers a theoretical and updated review that will allow the reader to understand what is meant by educational robotics, its history, types, and educational benefits. In addition, the work offers a broad and diverse set of experiences and ideas at different educational levels, providing insight into the efficient v vi Foreword implementation of educational robotics. There is no doubt that reading this book will contribute to the satisfaction of education professionals who want to know about the current advances in educational robotics in order to better prepare future generations. Gutiérrez Braojos Calixto Department of Research Methods in Education University of Granada, Granada, Spain Foreword The last decades have been exciting with regard to innovations and technology advancement for education. However, it is also a challenging time for learning designers, teachers, and educational researchers, ensuring that students are ready for an ever-changing world and fully capable of becoming tomorrow’s progressive leaders, productive workers, and responsible citizens. The dawn of the first educational robot can be traced back to the late 1960s. Not only the robot technology has been advanced over the last 50 years, but also the pedagogical approaches and methodologies have been further developed. Recently, robots have become increasingly popular as an educational tool for various age groups ranging from preschool to primary school over K–12 classrooms to graduate university education. Also, the targeted learning outcomes utilising educational robots are broad, including general interest in science and technology, supporting and enhancing STEAM learning activities, as well as fostering specialised applications such as software engineering or control theory. The pedagogical orchestration of educational robots includes teacher-led demonstrations, guided workshops, or discovery and problem-solving scenarios. The learning activities are often multifaceted including design, construction, and programming for solving a specific problem. Empirical research focussing on educational robots have documented a greater engagement of students in STEAM learning activities. Other empirical studies show support for critical thinking and complex problem-solving and increased compre- hension of complex concepts and procedures. In addition, as artificial intelligence for robots is further developed, data analytics, adapted behaviour to specific learning needs, and enhanced social interaction, including educational robots, are cur- rently a focal point of empirical research. In this edited volume, Smart Learning with Educational Robotics, Professor Linda Daniela brings together international experts on educational robotics show- casing their latest concepts, methodologies, and empirical findings. The contribu- tions focus on students from early childhood to higher education. The chapter authors use empirical research methodologies, including existing, experimental, and emerging conceptual frameworks, from various fields, in order to tackle vii viii Foreword phenomena for understanding learners’ cognitive functions, optimal learning design for educational robotics classrooms, or increasing acceptance and adoption of educational robotics among teachers. Further examples include advancing learning beyond the classroom walls, the design of competitive environments for learning, or building confidence and interest among students through educational robotics. The synthesis of the latest innovations and fresh perspectives on pedagogical constructs makes Smart Learning with Educational Robotics a cutting-edge reading for the researchers and educators in educational robotics, STEAM education, and beyond. Despite the potential and applications of educational robotics being show- cased in this edited volume, it is imperative to note that a meaningful integration of educational robotics in pedagogical scenarios shall have a supporting purpose for learning processes, knowledge construction, and learning outcomes. Dirk Ifenthaler (http://www.ifenthaler.info) is Professor and Chair of Learning, Design, and Technology at the University of Mannheim, Germany, and UNESCO Deputy Chair of Data Science in Higher Education Learning and Teaching at Curtin University, Australia. His previous roles include Professor and Director, Centre for Research in Digital Learning, at Deakin University, Australia; Manager of Applied Research and Learning Analytics at Open Universities, Australia; and Professor for Applied Teaching and Learning Research at the University of Potsdam, Germany. He was a 2012 Fulbright Scholar in Residence at the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, University of Oklahoma, USA. His research focuses on the intersection of cognitive psychology, educational technology, data analytics, and organisational learning. His research outcomes include numerous coauthored books, book series, book chapters, journal articles, and international conference papers, as well as suc- cessful grant funding in Australia, Germany, and USA. He is the Editor in Chief of the Springer journal Technology, Knowledge and Learning (www.springer. com/10758) and Editorial Board Member of several international journals. Dirk Ifenthaler University of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany Curtin University, Perth, Australia Preface Progress in technology development creates new opportunities as well as new challenges for the educational environment, as it has to be able to transform the learning process so as to prepare the future generations for life and work with technology, both by using the opportunities created

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