1. Asoc.prof. Linda Daniela Researcher Raimonds Strods
Robot as an agent in reducing risks of early school leaving
Asoc.prof. Linda Daniela Researcher Raimonds Strods
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

2. ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL - 2015-1-IT02-KA201-015141
The project aim
The RoboESL project aims at exploiting the potential of robotics for developing extra-curricular constructivist learning activities in schools that will help children at risk of failure or Early School Leaving (ESL) to practice and develop their creativity skills, raise self-esteem, motivate their interest in schooling, and finally to encourage them towards staying at school.
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

3. ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL - 2015-1-IT02-KA201-015141
Research context
An average of 11.0 % of young people (18-24 years old) in the EU were early leavers from education and training in In Latvia 9.9 % of young people have only lower secondary education or less (Eurostat, 2015).
The individual’s conviction about his/her abilities, the desire for achievement and assumptions about the level of intellectual capacities influence his/her academic achievements and study motivation in general (Bandura, 1986).
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

4. ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL - 2015-1-IT02-KA201-015141
Knowledge
Skill
Competencies
Social interaction
Motivation
Support for learning
Excitement
Students
Curriculum
Teacher
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

5. ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL - 2015-1-IT02-KA201-015141
Does it always work?
Knowledge
Skill
Competencies
Social interaction
Motivation
Support for learning
Excitement
Students
Curriculum
Teacher
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

6. Students For those who are motivated - Yes Curriculum Knowledge Skill
Competencies
Social interaction
Motivation
Support for learning
Excitement
Attitude
Students
Curriculum
Teacher
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

7. Students For those who are motivated - Yes
Knowledge
Skill
Competencies
Social interaction
Motivation
Support for learning
Excitement
Attitude
Students
Curriculum
Teacher
BUT - We are dealing with students who are at risk of early school leaving
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

8. What can cause problems at school?
Learning difficulties/failure
Special needs
Frequent absence from school
Bored at school
Changing schools
Lack of family support
Poverty
Migrant family
Social crisis in family
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

9. ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL - 2015-1-IT02-KA201-015141
Students at school are hungry for – RESPONSIBILITY, RESPECT AND REALITY
Teachers and schools can meet these needs by focusing on – CHOICE, CHALLENGE AND COLLABORATION
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

10. ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL - 2015-1-IT02-KA201-015141
TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS START TO BE ACTIVE ACTORS OF THEIR LEARNING PROCESS, IN THIS PROJECT WE CHOOSED TO USE ROBOTS AS NON-HUMAN AGENTS TO REDUCE RISKS OF ESL
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

11. Students Curriculum Robot as non human agent Knowledge Skill
Competencies
Social interaction
Motivation
Support for learning
Excitement
Attitude
Students
Robot as non human agent
Curriculum
Teacher
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

12. Students Why we need to complicate things? Curriculum
Knowledge
Skill
Competencies
Social interaction
Motivation
Support for learning
Excitement
Attitude
Students
Robot as non human agent
Curriculum
Teacher
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

13. Students Why we need to complicate things? Curriculum
Knowledge
Skill
Competencies
Social interaction
Motivation
Support for learning
Excitement
Attitude
Students
Robot as non human agent
Curriculum
Teacher
We don’t!
We wish to find ways to reduce risks of ESL risks
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

14. We know that students who are at risk of ESL
Have the specific reason for encountering the risk of ESL
Are with low learning motivation, sometimes they have developed motivation of avoidance
Do not feel the belonging to the learning process
Scared of learning failures
Most of them are boys
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

15. ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL - 2015-1-IT02-KA201-015141
Gender proportion
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

16. Robot as non-human agent
How do teachers interact with technologies in the process of learning?
Technologies as the learning tools
Technologies as the support tools for the teaching process
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

17. To use the robot as non human agent
helps to:
Analyse
Assimilate
Contextualise
Synthesise
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

18. Methodology of research
Questionnaires for students (before and after the participation in the project activities).
Teachers were asked to fill in several research instruments:
1.The evaluation of student’s risks;
2.The evaluation of students’ attitude to learning, motivation and problem solving strategies (before and after the activities);
3.Structured observation during the implementation of each particular teaching/learning curriculum of robotics;
4.The assessment of whole process.
Statements in questionnaires were asked to assess applying the Likert scale.
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

19. ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL - 2015-1-IT02-KA201-015141
Descriptive statistics – students’ opinion about the changes after robotics activities
Learning by using robots: N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Std. Deviation
Learning by using robots was exciting 80 1 5
4,40
,836
I liked to work in groups, during the robotic activities
4,34
1,030
I learned how to program robots 2
3,89
,842
I can use the gained knowledge in other activities
3,72
1,201
I liked to look for additional information to improve my knowledge about robotics
3,48
1,158
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

20. Students’ opinion about the changes after robotics activities
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

21. ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL - 2015-1-IT02-KA201-015141
Descriptive statistics - students’ opinion about the changes after robotics activities
Robotic activities helped to improve: N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Std. Deviation
Attitude to learning 80 1 5
3,66
1,078
Collaboration skills with classmates
4,10
,989
Collaboration skills with teachers 2
4,25
,788
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

22. ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL - 2015-1-IT02-KA201-015141
Descriptive statistics - students’ opinion about the changes after robotics activities
Robotic activities helped to improve: N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Std. Deviation
Knowledge in math 80 1 5
3,21
1,166
Knowledge in physics
3,05
1,311
Knowledge of information technologies
4,06
,946
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

23. ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL - 2015-1-IT02-KA201-015141
Teachers’ point of view of changes in students’ attitude before and after robotics activities
Descriptive Statistics: N
(before)
(after)
Mean
Std. Deviation
Cooperates with classmates during lessons in a positive way
242
278
3,54
3,71
1,027
1,066
Is ready to join out of class/school activities together with other classmates
3,65
3,79
,979
,890
Is ready for work in lessons
3,58
3,68
1,056
1,140
Asks for help from teachers
3,14
3,30
1,032
1,028
Solves the learning problems by himself/herself
3,50
1,143
1,142
Solves conflicts in a calm way
3,94
4,20
1,072
,921
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

24. Teachers’ opinion about changes in students’ problem solving skills
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

25. Teachers’ opinion about changes in students’ motivation
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

26. ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL - 2015-1-IT02-KA201-015141
Conclusions
1. Robot as a non-human agent can improve several factors that can decrease early school leaving risks: -positive attitude to the learning process in general; -collaboration skills with classmates and teachers; -problem-solving skills; -learning motivation and knowledge in STEM subjects. 2. Robot and student interactions shouldn't be strictly controlled. Teacher should give a chance to student to experiment with robot and assist only when student by himself can't overcome learning problems/challenges;
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA

27. Thank you for your attention!
ERASMUS+ Project RoboESL IT02-KA