Children’s Educational Robotics: All You Need To Know
Today advances in science and technology is changing the way the world works. There are more and more requirements and preparations that are needed to access the world of work, and also to understand many of the devices that we use regularly. Today Aark Learnings talk about children’s educational robotics and the importance of motivating children from their childhood.
What are children’s educational robotics and its importance
Surely on some occasions, you have heard that robotics and programming classes are taught for children. Educational robotics is a discipline that is increasingly present in school classrooms.
It consists of bringing students closer to and discovering programming technology in a dynamic and playful way. The implantation of techniques using robots and programming can help cognitive and functional development.
Through robots, it is possible to teach content for different areas of knowledge such as technology or mathematics.
If we refer to the importance of children’s robotics, it is important to emphasize that children need to understand the world around them and this world is constantly changing. The development of new learning techniques in children must be an important part of educational centres since every day there are more advances and the ways of life change.
Introduction to children’s educational robotics
There are many people who have a wrong idea about robotics and programming, thinking that it only serves to create applications and software. These disciplines have been working for several years now, covering many aptitudes and abilities in children. Through the initiation of robotics in infant and primary education, almost any discipline can be worked on.
The approach must be taken into account when including activities with robotic programming since initiation at an early age must be gradual. For example, the initiation can be done through didactic and manipulative exercises that allow them to interact with the environment.
Bee-Bot, a children’s educational robot
These types of robots are specially designed for the initiation of children’s educational robotics. What are they for? Thanks to their colour and ease of use, they are a perfect tool for teaching sequences, estimations or solving problems through games.
This bee robot called Bee-Bot is widely used in preschool, and recommended for children from 3 years old, allowing its use up to 7 or 8 years old.
There is also a lot of complementary material and up to 200 different sequences can be programmed. In addition, it has an app available for Android and IOS.
Benefits of learning educational robotics for children in the classroom
- The initiation of educational robotics helps logical thinking and problem-solving.
To meet the challenges, children need to have logical knowledge and through different numerical calculations, they manage to overcome them. Thanks to this development, they improve their skills and stimulate children with learning and games without being aware.
- Increased ability to work in a group
Robotics classes are for students to work in groups and develop leadership skills and tolerance among themselves. Being able to solve problems in a group can help personal development.
- Stimulates creativity
Creativity and problem-solving are essential to build a robot and make it follow orders. Children through children’s educational robotics and the set of other subjects manage to increase their creativity.
- Improvement of oral and written expression
Thanks to the proposed educational robotics activities, other skills such as oral and written expression with reading are also improved. They manage to improve their vocabulary and learn some technical words from their childhood.
- Stimulates interest in science and new technologies
Through these types of games and fun activities for them, children are interested in subjects such as science or mathematics in an active way. The area known as STEM in relation to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics serves as a challenge for the educational system with the function of preparing children capable of adapting to technologies.
Relationship between robotics and Programming in early childhood education
There are more and more educational centres that impart knowledge of robotics and programming, understanding that they are complementary and that they have many benefits for children.
Teachers of this type of subject must adapt the knowledge to the group, understanding that each child is different and they will need exercises that arouse their interest in a fun and pressure-free way.
To have control and knowledge of the progress of children with children’s robotics classes, there are many tools available to teachers such as the digital teacher’s notebook, which allows you to quickly visualize the progress, allowing you to correct those needs and also know the improvements in the rest of subjects.
