Deploying social robots as teaching aid in pre-school K2 classes: A proof-of-concept study

Abstract

This paper describes the outcome of a pilot study of deploying humanoid social robots as a teaching aid in preschool classroom. Sixteen K2 students each from two pre-schools were recruited to test commercially available robots, Pepper and Nao. The robots were assigned to different schools and were programmed to deliver 6 lessons over a span of 3 months. To assess the deployment and the performance of the children, we used Likert-scale based survey to record our observations. One of the survey forms used was TEPI, which measures the performance of the children's behavior based on three major criteria. The TEPI data gathered suggests that during the lessons children display desirable behavior such as critical thinking, imagination and creativity, and social interaction and independence. We also observed classroom atmosphere, classroom management, and class behavior during the lessons. Data from the survey highlights the potential benefits and the challenges of deploying robots as a teaching aid in a real classroom setting.