Robotics as a Powerful Vehicle toward Computational Thinking and Creativity

2. Scientix has received funding from the European Union’s H2020 research and innovation programme – project Scientix 4 (Grant
agreement N. 101000063) coordinated by European Schoolnet (EUN). The content of the presentation is the sole responsibility of
the presenter and it does not represent the opinion of the European Commission (EC), and the EC is not responsible for any use
that might be made of information contained
Robotics as a Powerful
Vehicle Toward
Computational Thinking
and Creativity
Dr. Katerina Glezou
Scientix Ambassador
Arsakeia Schools
Psychikou
Teachmeet Bett 2022
Excel London
24 March 2022

3. About me
• Scientix Ambassador
• EU CodeWeek Leading Teacher
• Teacher Trainer - Instructional Designer
• Researcher, Research Fellow
@ IT Department, University of Athens
• Computer Science/Robotics/ICT/Physics Teacher
@ Arsakeia Schools Psychikou, Athens
Dr. Katerina Glezou
Greece

4. • Research framework
• Learning Objectives
• Implementation
• Results
• Solutions
• Recommendations
• Discussion
Outline
My presentation focuses on the
implementation of
robotics and programming activities
designed to foster
computational thinking and creativity
in authentic classroom conditions.

5. Aim of the study
 to bring forward the basic parameters of an effective
constructionist approach at the level of designing, development
and implementation in real school conditions.
Basic research questions
a. How can robotics systems be integrated into teaching
practice in authentic classroom conditions?
b. What are the difficulties that arise in the classroom
and how can they be dealt with in order to achieve
the best learning outcomes?
Research framework

6.  "Introduction to Educational Robotics“ optional course
@ 1st Arsakeio High School Psychikou
 "Educational Robotics" afternoon club
@ Arsakeia Primary Schools Psychikou
Research framework

7.  Introduction to robotics and programming.
 Familiarization with the robotic system.
 Experiential exploratory learning.
 Developing knowledge, skills, attitudes
 Computational/algorithmic/engineering thinking.
 Programming, cognitive and handling skills.
 Communication and collaboration skills.
 Creativity and imagination.
Learning Objectives

8. Implementation
The activities concern:
 using robotic systems, designing and building robotic constructions
 Robotic systems: Bee Bot, Lego WeDo 1, Lego WeDo 2, Edison,
Thymio, LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education EV3, AT Mega
 Programming environments: Scratch, Edware, EdScratch,
OpenRoberta, LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3, mΒlock

9. Robotic Systems

10. Programming environments

11. Implementation

12. Implementation - LEGO Education WeDo 1.0

13. Implementation - LEGO Education WeDo 2.0

14. Students were involved in collaborative activities in
robotics and programming and became familiar with
the features and functions of the robotic system.
Students play, experiment, investigate and learn, apply
research (observation, hypotheses, controls,
corrections, confirmations, conclusions).
Students collaborate, program automations and build
robotic artifacts of personal meaning and interest using
the robotic system and Lego bricks.
Results

15. Results
 Α combination of robotics, programming and unplugged activities had
better support student learning and development students’ skills as
collaboration/team work, communication, critical thinking, CT and
creativity.
 Τhe students showed great interest in their interaction with the robotic
system remaining active and frequently showing and expressing
enthusiasm.
 The students demonstrated their inventiveness.

16. Solutions
 Encouragement is a basic key.
 Students should be introduced to the ideas of frustration and
persistence, and need to realize that persistence is choosing not
to give up, and attempting something over and over again.
 If students misidentify solutions, they should use the bug finding
formula on their configurations repeatedly until a working run is
succeeded. Helpful questions to be asked:
a. “What happened?” / “What was supposed to happen?”
b. “Did it work at the first step?” / “Did it work at the
second step?”
c. “Where did it go wrong?”

17. Recommendations
 The pedagogical emphasis should always be on challenging and
helping students understand in depth, rather than use, the robotic
devices and the programming environment.
 Students need to understand the debugging process of coding and
reconstruction of the robotic creature.
 Let the students share hypotheses about what is going wrong and
how to fix it.
 Students should feel free to try things that the teacher knows in
advance will be incorrect.

18. Discussion
 Research gap need to be bridged on how to promote STEAM Education,
21st century skills and advance learning via educational robotics in real
classroom settings across all disciplines and grade levels.
• Exploring the use of different robotics and programming paradigms.
• Implementing alternate teaching strategies.
• Effective combinations to support student engagement in CT and
creativity development.

19. http://www.scientix.eu/

20. http://www.scientix.eu/

22. http://www.scientix.eu/

23. http://www.scientix.eu/

24. https://codeweek.eu/

25. https://www.etwinning.net/

26. Code, Program, Create,
Collaborate, Play & Learn!
Have fun!
Thank you for your attention!

27. E-mail: glezou@gmail.com
Blog: http://blogs.sch.gr/glezou/
Social Network: http://logogreekworld.ning.com/
https://www.facebook.com/katerina.glezou
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katerinaglezou/
https://twitter.com/glezou https://vimeo.com/glezou
https://scratch.mit.edu/users/kglezou/
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Glezou_Katerina
https://independent.academia.edu/glezoukaterina
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8500-0920
To contact me:

28. Scientix has received funding from the European Union’s H2020 research and innovation programme – project Scientix 4 (Grant
agreement N. 101000063) coordinated by European Schoolnet (EUN). The content of the presentation is the sole responsibility
of the presenter and it does not represent the opinion of the European Commission (EC), and the EC is not responsible for any
use that might be made of information contained
http://scientix.eu
More information: Agueda Gras agueda.gras@eun.org
Head of the Science Education Department