A Qualitative Review of Educational Robots for STEM: Technical Features and Impacts

Abstract

Educational robots have played a vital role in enhancing science and engineering education for children worldwide. There are several educational robots available to boost students’ mindsets in STEM fields through a variety of activities. The robots are equipped with sensors, actuators, and programming platforms to improve students’ technical and professional skills, but most are not affordable and accessible to school students, especially those from lower and middle-income countries. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the importance and significance of robots in STEM education through a qualitative review of a wide range of educational robots including their sensors, actuators, outputs, and embedded systems. The use of these robots in educational activities has proven to be intriguing, and research is thriving to make them more affordable and accessible while keeping educational objectives at forefront. Humanoid social robots with emotional attributes have been found appealing to improve student learning in a school setting by enhancing their engagement in the environment. This paper also discusses how education robots impact students’ technical and professional experience.