research-article

Attractive Educational Robotics Motivates Younger Students to Learn Programming and Computational Thinking

Authors:

Ilkka Jormanainen,

Markku TukiainenAuthors Info & Claims

TEEM'20: Eighth International Conference on Technological Ecosystems for Enhancing Multiculturality

Pages 54 - 60

https://doi.org/10.1145/3434780.3436676

Published: 22 January 2021 Publication History

Abstract

Educational robotics and physical computing have proved to be good sources of motivation for students of all ages and school levels. We conducted a series of workshops in the primary schools of city of Joensuu in eastern Finland, focusing on training the fundamental computational thinking (CT) skills by using a programmable and interactive Teddy Bear toy. Educational robotics and physical computing devices have proved to be an efficient way to teach these skills regardless the students’ age group or previous background. To assess the students’ intrinsic motivation towards Teddy Bear programming, we devised a survey for workshop participants and conducted a statistical analysis to compare differences between the genders and age groups. The results of the large-scale empirical study (n=1440) show that the students at the age of 9-10 years (Grades 3-4) are significantly more motivated towards such a learning tool than the students of age 11-12 years (Grades 5-6). Furthermore, we show that especially young girls find the Teddy Bear programming motivating and they are eager to learn more. This indicates that appealing tools play a key role when teaching programming and CT concepts to young school children.

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Cited By

Sunday AAgbo FSuhonen JJormanainen ITukiainen M(2025)Co-designing to develop computational thinking skills in Nigeria K-12 using scratchEducation and Information Technologies10.1007/s10639-025-13386-yOnline publication date: 3-Feb-2025
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13386-y
Vergara K(2024)A Physical Computing Workshop to Engage Girls from Low-Income BackgroundsCompanion Proceedings of the 2024 Conference on Interactive Surfaces and Spaces10.1145/3696762.3698039(1-3)Online publication date: 27-Oct-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3696762.3698039
Kubincová ZMiková KBudinská L(2024)Using Rubrics for Assessment and Peer Assessment of Artful Robotics Projects with the Focus on Computational Thinking2024 21st International Conference on Information Technology Based Higher Education and Training (ITHET)10.1109/ITHET61869.2024.10837599(1-7)Online publication date: 6-Nov-2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/ITHET61869.2024.10837599
Show More Cited By

Attractive Educational Robotics Motivates Younger Students to Learn Programming and Computational Thinking
1. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing education

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cover image ACM Other conferences

TEEM'20: Eighth International Conference on Technological Ecosystems for Enhancing Multiculturality

October 2020

1084 pages

ISBN:9781450388504

DOI:10.1145/3434780

Editors:
Francisco José García-Peñalvo
University of Salamanca
,
Alicia García-Holgado
University of Salamanca

Copyright © 2020 ACM.

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Published: 22 January 2021

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TEEM'20

TEEM'20: Eighth International Conference on Technological Ecosystems for Enhancing Multiculturality

October 21 - 23, 2020

Salamanca, Spain

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Cited By

Sunday AAgbo FSuhonen JJormanainen ITukiainen M(2025)Co-designing to develop computational thinking skills in Nigeria K-12 using scratchEducation and Information Technologies10.1007/s10639-025-13386-yOnline publication date: 3-Feb-2025
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13386-y
Vergara K(2024)A Physical Computing Workshop to Engage Girls from Low-Income BackgroundsCompanion Proceedings of the 2024 Conference on Interactive Surfaces and Spaces10.1145/3696762.3698039(1-3)Online publication date: 27-Oct-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3696762.3698039
Kubincová ZMiková KBudinská L(2024)Using Rubrics for Assessment and Peer Assessment of Artful Robotics Projects with the Focus on Computational Thinking2024 21st International Conference on Information Technology Based Higher Education and Training (ITHET)10.1109/ITHET61869.2024.10837599(1-7)Online publication date: 6-Nov-2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/ITHET61869.2024.10837599
Alam AMohanty A(2024)Integrated constructive robotics in education (ICRE) model: a paradigmatic framework for transformative learning in educational ecosystemCogent Education10.1080/2331186X.2024.232448711:1Online publication date: 11-Mar-2024
https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2324487
Agbo FOkpanachi LOcheja POyelere SSani G(2024)How can Unplugged Approach Facilitate Novice Students’ Understanding of Computational Thinking? An Exploratory study from a Nigerian UniversityThinking Skills and Creativity10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101458(101458)Online publication date: Jan-2024
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101458
Sunday AAgbo FSuhonen J(2024)Co-design Pedagogy for Computational Thinking Education in K-12: A Systematic Literature ReviewTechnology, Knowledge and Learning10.1007/s10758-024-09765-yOnline publication date: 6-Aug-2024
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-024-09765-y
Jormanainen IYigzaw STukiainen M(2024)Intensive Robotics Course Projects Improve Higher Education Students’ Intrinsic Motivation and Learning OutcomesRobotics in Education10.1007/978-3-031-67059-6_4(29-41)Online publication date: 27-Sep-2024
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-67059-6_4
Gerosa AKallia MCutts Q(2023)A Systematic Literature Review on Physical and Action Based Activities in Computing Education for Early Years and PrimaryProceedings of the 18th WiPSCE Conference on Primary and Secondary Computing Education Research10.1145/3605468.3605500(1-10)Online publication date: 27-Sep-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3605468.3605500
Shehzad URecker MClarke-Midura JDoyle MStephenson BDorn BSoh LBattestilli L(2023)A Literature Review Examining Broadening Participation in Upper Elementary CS EducationProceedings of the 54th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3545945.3569873(570-576)Online publication date: 2-Mar-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3545945.3569873
Malmi LHellas AIhantola PIsomöttönen VJormanainen IKilamo TKnutas AKorhonen ALaakso MLópez-Pernas SPoranen TSalakoski TSuhonen J(2023)Computing Education Research in FinlandPast, Present and Future of Computing Education Research10.1007/978-3-031-25336-2_16(335-372)Online publication date: 5-Jan-2023
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