EDUCATIONAL ROBOTICS AND DEVELOPMENT OF SPATIAL THINKING: A TEACHING EXPERIENCE WITH PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

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Published: Jun 14, 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/enedim.24621
Keywords:
Educational robotics spatial skills technology
Σπύρος Κούριας (Spyros Kourias)
University of Thessaly
Abstract

In this paper we focus on if and how possible is for spatial skills to emerge for preschool children through their engagement in collaborative scenarios of designing and programming the movement of a robot within the context of a teaching experiment.  The children who participated in the teaching experiment were engaged in a series of activities that required collaborative pseudocode synthesis practices. The data we collected is based on field observation diaries, interviews, "flowcharts" created by the children and aimed to systematically capture their overall experience. The data analysis and interpretation lead us to the conclusion that the development of specific spatial skills of preschoolers is possible if they are actively engaged in educational robotics scenarios that provide them access to a variety of mental tools and favor social interaction between children as a basis for knowledge building.

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  • Young Researchers
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Author Biography
Σπύρος Κούριας (Spyros Kourias), University of Thessaly

Phd in Early Childhood Education, Researcher

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