3 Ways Educational Robotics can Benefit Learning Outcomes

It’s no secret, the world has changed drastically since the days in which the use of technology in schools involved just a simple board or projector. Indeed, given that children are beginning to use devices such as Smartphones and computers at much earlier ages, the way in which most of the younger generation learns and takes in information is drastically different than their elders. In particular, educational robotics, or the use of robots to help teach and reinforce lessons, is a revolutionary method of instructing children for many reasons. That said, the following is an overview of 3 ways educational robotics can benefit learning outcomes in young children.

Promotes Creative Problem-Solving

One of the top ways educational robotics can benefit learning outcomes is by promoting creative problem-solving skills. For instance, problem-based learning is a new learning model that promotes creative problem-solving with the use of a robot in lieu of an actual teacher. Therefore, rather than taking cues from the teacher, students are encouraged to come up with their own ideas to solve problems. Over time, this allows the students to become more creative with their problem-solving skills and more equipped to handle their own problems as time progresses.

Helping Children with Disabilities

Furthermore, helping robots can also be instrumental in teaching children with an array of disabilities. In particular, those who suffer from social anxiety issues (such as those on the Autistic spectrum), are less skilled at interacting with students and peers and tend to experience some issues with regards to class participation. However, the use of robots helps to remove the pressure of human interaction, which can make it much easier for certain students to learn and participate in the lesson. Furthermore, they are capable of adjusting their content based on every kid’s learning capacity, which makes it possible to do individualized lesson plans while keep track of progress.

Language Development

Lastly, robots can also help with language development. One of the top concerns when teaching children ages 3-7, finding engaging ways to teach children language can be paramount to the future of their personal and professional lives. Luckily, robots offer many benefits with regards to language development. For instance, robots can be programmed to learn and teach an infinite amount of words to children. Moreover, they can also be programmed to speak without accents, which can make it easier for children to follow along with. Furthermore, they are not distractable, unlike teachers, who may veer off track due to a noisy student or some other interruption. Furthermore, they are naturally patient which can make it possible for certain student who may be struggling, to receive the much-needed one-on-one time while the rest of the class moves on to other activities.

Overall, while they are no replacement for regular teachers, robots can offer many benefits with regards to teaching younger children. Not only do they add an element of excitement, which makes younger kids more likely to engage, but they are also incredibly patient, which is needed when teaching young kids. Furthermore, they promote creative problem-solving, can help eliminate the pressure of social situations for children with social disorders and much more. Additionally, they can also help with language development, which is one of the top tasks of teaching younger students. If robots begin to be more widely used to help teach younger kids, we will develop a society filled with confident children who are well-spoken and equipped to engage in an array of social interactions. These traits serve as a great foundation for building up children who grow into happy, well-adjusted adults prepared to take on the world.