Robots have always been the poster child for technology, and nothing excites the imagination quite like the thought of a mechanical sentient being helping humans navigate the world.
Robots have been used for many, many years in all kinds of fields, and recently they have started to make their way into the classroom. The educational robot market is expected to grow at 16% annually until 2025, and this will bring a wide range of fascinating use cases.
This post will take a look at some of the benefits of using robots in the classroom and how this works.
How Robots Help Learning
Give learners hands-on experience
Robots are an excellent practical tool for learning. Students can use them to better understand concepts like engineering and physics by getting a more hands-on experience. Robots can also help with coding - students can program their robots to take certain actions and see the results of code in a tangible, real-time way.
Help kids with learning difficulties
Robots can be a powerful asset for children with learning difficulties like autism and ADHD, helping them stay focused, develop skills, and benefit from extra support while allowing them to be successful in mainstream classroom settings.
There are also many children who, for various reasons, are unable to attend school. One example is a second grader in New York who needed to learn from home due to severe, life-threatening allergies. He was able to use a robot to attend school in his place, bringing the experience to him via a video conferencing system.
Engaging and stimulating
Nothing gets kids excited like a life-size robot in the classroom. These gadgets are still relatively new and novel, which means they have an ability to capture the attention of learners in a way that traditional teaching methods often cannot. A robot can make even the driest subject interesting and engaging.
Help develop computational thinking skills
Computational thinking is the ability to think in the kinds of step-by-step, sequential processes that are used in programming. Learning this skill at a young age is extremely valuable for today’s children, as it sets them up to excel in a future that will be dominated by computers and those who understand them.
Robots are an excellent way to learn computational thinking, as kids have to program them to take specific actions using this step-by-step process.
Simulation tools
One of the most practical use cases for robots in education is simulation. Robots and automation can be used to simulate real-life situations in a controlled and safe environment, making them a great tool for teaching things like driver’s education.
Complete repeatable admin tasks
Robots can handle a wide range of simple and repetitive tasks like grading work, checking attendance, organizing, and even tidying up. They can often do these tasks much more effectively than humans, and with much less boredom. By doing these tasks, robots help free up teachers to spend more time on actually teaching, ensuring students get the full benefit of a focused and engaged educator.
Easy to customize and program
Robots can be programmed to teach at a specific level, so you can tailor education to each individual student. This is very difficult even for humans to do, so using robots in this way can ensure everyone gets exactly the right level of difficulty and sophistication to make progress.
At Yup, we think robots can be a fantastic accompaniment to all kinds of education. Our own platform harnesses technology to connect learners to math tutors in digital, one-on-one sessions so they can continue their education outside of the classroom. To find out more, schedule a demo.
