The Usability of a Robot as an Educational Assistant in a Kindergarten and Young Children's Perceptions of their Relationship with the Robot

摘要

The purpose of this study was to examine the usability of a robot in kindergartens and the children's perceptions of that robot. In order to answer these questions, a field study, picture drawing and interviews were conducted over twelve days in a kindergarten located in Seoul. Our results indicated that children were likely to use the robot in a group and girls tended to use it more than boys. Children's affection towards the robot was positive and they perceived the robot mostly in terms of a friend. Finally, the picture drawing activity differed according to the usability level. Children who were in the high usability level grouping engaged more with educational content and storytelling while the low usability level grouping utilized the robot for singing in a large group.