The use of psychological measurements in research on educational robotics
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Daniela Conti
Abstract
In recent decades, there has been an increase in the use of educational robots in classrooms with K-12 students. The objective of employing educational robotics in educational environments is to apply robotics to promote various skills among children and adolescents, including social, communication, cognitive, learning, and other achievement skills. Both K-12 students and teachers have displayed positive attitudes toward educational robotics, highlighting its potential as a valuable tool in subjects like science, programming, and mathematics. Research on the effectiveness and attitudes toward educational robots has also demonstrated promising results. However, the majority of the conducted research lacks quantitative evaluations using standardized testing. That is, while psychometrics is commonly employed in research within various educational contexts, the use of psychometrics in educational robotics research is scarce. Because many robots developed for educational contexts aim to achieve learning objectives similar to those encountered in human interactions, it becomes advantageous to use psychological measurement tools in the evaluation process, specifically when assessing psychological outcome objectives. This inclusion allows for a better understanding of the educational robot’s effectiveness on psychological outcomes, contributing to a more informed and insightful assessment of their impact on educational settings. This chapter will provide an overview of some psychological measurement tools used in educational robotics research. Identifying some standardized psychological tests that are used in the research of human-robot interactions can offer insights into the potential suitability of such tests for further assessing educational robotics.
Abstract
In recent decades, there has been an increase in the use of educational robots in classrooms with K-12 students. The objective of employing educational robotics in educational environments is to apply robotics to promote various skills among children and adolescents, including social, communication, cognitive, learning, and other achievement skills. Both K-12 students and teachers have displayed positive attitudes toward educational robotics, highlighting its potential as a valuable tool in subjects like science, programming, and mathematics. Research on the effectiveness and attitudes toward educational robots has also demonstrated promising results. However, the majority of the conducted research lacks quantitative evaluations using standardized testing. That is, while psychometrics is commonly employed in research within various educational contexts, the use of psychometrics in educational robotics research is scarce. Because many robots developed for educational contexts aim to achieve learning objectives similar to those encountered in human interactions, it becomes advantageous to use psychological measurement tools in the evaluation process, specifically when assessing psychological outcome objectives. This inclusion allows for a better understanding of the educational robot’s effectiveness on psychological outcomes, contributing to a more informed and insightful assessment of their impact on educational settings. This chapter will provide an overview of some psychological measurement tools used in educational robotics research. Identifying some standardized psychological tests that are used in the research of human-robot interactions can offer insights into the potential suitability of such tests for further assessing educational robotics.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Contents IX
- Maker education and educational robotics in the age of artificial intelligence 1
- Making to engineering: toward a personalized engineering robotics playground 9
- Maker movement and educational robotics in Brazil: from legislation to emerging practices in the school environment 45
- Robotics and computational language in the school setting: a review of research 59
- The use of psychological measurements in research on educational robotics 85
- Promoting social communication skills in autism spectrum disorder through robotics and virtual worlds 95
- Robots for autism-specific education: opportunities and barriers to the use of technical devices 119
- Proposal for intervention with intelligent educational robots in primary education students after the analysis of their pedagogical possibilities 131
- New realities in the education field? Keys to understanding the role of intelligent educational robots 149
- Intelligent Educational Robots in Early Childhood Education: Building the Future 169
- Interactivity of smart educational robots 199
- Exploring the use of chatbots in English language learning among higher education students in Israel 213
- Model of a teacher from the standpoint of ethics in education using artificial intelligence 233
- The AI-enhanced DIY robotic car: introducing the five big ideas of AI 245
- List of contributors 263
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Contents IX
- Maker education and educational robotics in the age of artificial intelligence 1
- Making to engineering: toward a personalized engineering robotics playground 9
- Maker movement and educational robotics in Brazil: from legislation to emerging practices in the school environment 45
- Robotics and computational language in the school setting: a review of research 59
- The use of psychological measurements in research on educational robotics 85
- Promoting social communication skills in autism spectrum disorder through robotics and virtual worlds 95
- Robots for autism-specific education: opportunities and barriers to the use of technical devices 119
- Proposal for intervention with intelligent educational robots in primary education students after the analysis of their pedagogical possibilities 131
- New realities in the education field? Keys to understanding the role of intelligent educational robots 149
- Intelligent Educational Robots in Early Childhood Education: Building the Future 169
- Interactivity of smart educational robots 199
- Exploring the use of chatbots in English language learning among higher education students in Israel 213
- Model of a teacher from the standpoint of ethics in education using artificial intelligence 233
- The AI-enhanced DIY robotic car: introducing the five big ideas of AI 245
- List of contributors 263
