AN EDUCATIONAL ROBOT TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN FOR ACQUIRING STE(A)M COMPETENCES

Abstract

STEM education, now also known as STEAM, is a multi-discipline approach to teaching. STEM education is a teaching approach that combines science, technology, engineering, and math. Its recent successor, STEM, also incorporates the arts, which can expand the limits of STEM education and application. STEM is designed to encourage discussions and problem-solving among students, developing both practical skills and appreciation for collaborations, according to the Institution for Art Integration and STEM. Many works have been done to acquire students STEM competency such as digital competence and creativity. This study focusses on using the robot technology in this purpose. Robots are becoming an integral component of our society and have great potential in being utilized as an educational technology. Many studies were presented in the field of robots in education to engage this technology in classrooms and to promote a deeper understanding of the area. Educational robots enable students of all ages to become familiar with and deepen their knowledge of robotics while at the same time learning other cognitive skills. The paper presents the design and the implementation of a simple robot to education process that could help children to acquire STEM competences. The robot has a cubic shape attached with a camera colors sensor. A teacher chooses a color by pressing on a switch, then children are asked to find the required color from the color board. The robot sensor decides if they could find the correct color and provide a flag. The robot can be used as a selector in multiple choice game using the color sensor and as an educational tool for children at elementary school.