Robotics and computational language in the school setting: a review of research

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of research published between 2017 and 2024 on the use of robotics in the school environment (aged 3-12). By narrowing the search according to these criteria and adopting the principles of the PRISMA statement, 44 studies were found, 18 from early childhood education interventions and 26 from primary education. These were subsequently classified according to the purpose for which robots are incorporated into classrooms: (1) analysis of teachers’ opinions on the implications of this task as well as the assessment of their digital competence; (2) interventions to stimulate communicative competence; emotional learning and students’ socio-emotional skills using social robots or to enhance their computational thinking. The results show that most aim to develop students’ computational language and focus on prototype testing. Some studies indicate that robots increase motivation toward learning, while others highlight their limitations in improving students’ socioemotional skills as they do not recognize emotions. However, they do promote autonomy in certain tasks. Finally, few studies analyze teachers’ digital competence to incorporate these resources into the classroom. In conclusion, to successfully replicate these interventions, studies need to describe the evaluation instruments applied. Additionally, sample sizes should be expanded, and it would be desirable to create a network of researchers around this topic to develop effective intervention models.