Carla da Costa Fernandes

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

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About

Carla da Costa Fernandes is a leading researcher in educational robotics, with a primary focus on developing accessible, low-cost tools that bridge technology and pedagogy. Her work centers on two key areas: creating robust evaluation frameworks for educational robotics software and designing virtual simulation platforms to democratize robotics education. Her most influential contribution is the "EducAval" framework (2017, 8 citations), which introduced a set of homogeneous, universal criteria for systematically assessing educational robotics software—a critical tool for educators and developers seeking to select or design effective learning tools. This work provides a simple, reproducible methodology that has become a reference point in the field. Earlier, Fernandes pioneered the "S-Educ" virtual simulator (2013, 5 citations), a platform that dramatically reduces the financial and logistical barriers to robotics education by allowing students to experiment with robotic kits in a virtual environment. This innovation enables broader access to hands-on learning, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Her research directly addresses the practical challenges of implementing robotics in classrooms, making her a key figure in the movement to make STEM education more inclusive and scalable.