Robots and Robotics Kits for Early Childhood and First School Age

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v14i18.16631

Keywords:

Educational Robotics, Robotics kits, Computational Thinking, Coding, Creativity, Critical Thinking, Preschool Education, Primary Education

Abstract


Educational robotics can consider one of the newest trends in education and they have been introduced into the classrooms ranging from kindergarten through high school as a means of enriching the learning environment and promote knowledge-building activities. Especially, robotics technologies offer opportunities for young age children, for a practical, hands-on understanding of the things they meet in their daily life but do not fully understand, such as proximity sensors, motion detectors, and light sensors, reasoning failures (software bugs) and connection problems (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth disconnection). In this article, we presented robots that can be used in early childhood and first primary classes of education. The purpose of this article is not to advocate against an educational robot or robotic kit but indeed to inform the educational community so that to make informed decisions regarding the introduction of this kind of technology into the classroom.

Author Biography

Stamatios Papadakis, School of Education, Department of Preschool Education, University of Crete, Greece

Dr. Stamatios Papadakis is post doc researcher in Educational Technology with emphasis on mobile learning at the Department of Preschool Education at the University of Crete, Greece (from 2016-). He has graduated from the Department of Informatics, Athens University of Economics and Business, Athens, Greece. In 2006 he completed a Master degree (M.Ed.) in Pre-school Education and Educational Design at the University of Aegean, Rhodes, Greece at the School of Humanities, Department of Pre-school Education. In 2016, he completed a Ph.D. at the University of Crete, Department of Education in Rethymnon, Greece under the supervision by Prof. Zaranis Nikolaos. He has taught as adjunct Lecturer courses on Informatics in Education (2017-2018) at the Department of Preschool Education, School of Education, University of Crete, Greece and Didactics in Programming (2017-2018) at the Department of Computer Sciences, School of Sciences and Engineering at the University of Crete, Greece. His scientific/ research interests include the study of mobile learning and especially the use of smart mobile devices and their accompanied mobile applications (apps) in the use of preschool and primary education, with a special interest at the development of Computational Thinking and students’ understanding of numbers. Furthermore, his research interests also include ICT in education, novice programming environments and teaching of programming in primary and secondary education (novice programmers). Languages: English (fluent), German.

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Published

2020-11-10

How to Cite

Papadakis, S. (2020). Robots and Robotics Kits for Early Childhood and First School Age. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM), 14(18), pp. 34–56. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v14i18.16631

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 18 (2020)

Section

Papers