Robots in the Classroom: What Teachers Think About Teaching and Learning with Education Robots
In the present study, we investigated teachers' attitudes toward teaching with education robots and robot mediated learning processes. We further explored predictors of attitudes, and investigated teachers' willingness to use robots in diverse learning settings. To do so, we conducted a survey with 59 German school teachers. Our results suggest that teachers held rather negative attitudes toward education robots. Further, our findings indicate a positive association between technology commitment and teachers' attitudes. Teachers reported a preferable use of robots in domains related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) Regarding expectations toward the future use of education robots, teachers mentioned their motivational potential, using robots as information source, or easy handling. Teachers' concerns, however, were associated with the disruption of teaching processes, additional workload, or the fear that robots might replace interpersonal relationships. Implications of our findings for theory and design of education robots are discussed.
ICSR