A Preliminary Study Exploring the Use of Fictional Narrative in Robotics Activities

摘要

Educational robotics activities are gaining in popularity. Though some research data suggest that educational robotics can be an effective approach in teaching mathematics, science, and engineering, research is needed to generate the best practices and strategies for designing these learning environments. Existing robotics activities typically do not provide a rich story context to motivate students. This preliminary study explores the use of fictional narrative in robotics activities. It describes the narrative that establishes a context for the activities, examines the design of the robotics challenges, and presents student and teacher perceptions of the narrative. The results of this research provide suggestions for future improvement of robotics activities. They may inform teachers and researchers interested in integrating robotics into various formal and informal learning environments.