Computational thinking (CT) has been supported as an important skill every young person should possess for the 21st century, with possible implications for problem-solving, self-expression, and creativity. Numerous initiatives, both within and outside classroom settings, have been developed in response to policy mandates aiming at broadening…

Contribution: This study qualitatively uncovered meaning for why and what was motivating to undergraduates participating in an educational human-robot interaction (HRI) experience. A data corpus of four documents (groups) was evaluated from a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control (n = 23) and treatment (n = 61) research design revealing three…

This study tested the potential of a technological intervention procedure for promoting letter-naming and initial-phoneme detection skills among preschoolers at risk for Specific Learning Disorder. The study rational is based on evidence for paired associated learning of visual-verbal stimuli, integrated with the use of a tangible technological…

Digital competence is an essential skill for pre-service teachers, and self-regulation is an important factor in this competence. However, lack of emotional support often affects development of students' digital competence. Therefore, an emotional support-embedded robot-based self-regulated learning (ES-RSRL) system was developed. This ES-RSRL…

STEM education is viewed as being vital for economic prosperity and productivity; and can contribute productively to changing technological, economic, and social demands of the twenty-first Century. However, there is limited consensus on how STEM education is understood and taught, and inadequate discussion around its role in addressing global…

Programmed control systems are ubiquitous in the present-day world. In current educational practice, however, these systems are hardly being addressed, and little is known about children's spontaneous understandings about such systems. Therefore, we explored pupils' understandings prior to instruction in three concrete settings: a car park, an…

Amalgamating generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI), Bloom's taxonomy and critical thinking present a promising avenue to revolutionize assessment pedagogy and foster higher-order cognitive skills needed for learning autonomy in the domain of self-directed learning. Gen AI, a subset of artificial intelligence (AI), has emerged as a…

Background: Teaching programming and computational thinking is becoming a major issue in many education systems. Numerous approaches are possible, but very few studies compare these different ways of implementing programming and computational thinking learning. Objectives: We compared three ways of teaching programming and computational thinking…

Drawing on a situated approach, the authors study the joint effects of lesson plans, digital artefacts (robots and tablets), spatial behaviours of students and teachers, on reconfiguration of space and interactions between students and teachers. Video observations, cluster analyses and structural equation modelling of indicators show that the…

Worldwide, the importance of computational thinking (CT) and its integration into the educational process at all levels of education has been highlighted as a fundamental skill for all. Nowadays, there is strong research interest in the integration of CT into curricula as early as kindergarten. As kindergarten teachers play a key role in this…

Background/purpose: This paper systematically reviews current advancements in AI-based diagnostic tools and assistive technologies, analyzing their influence on the early detection, treatment, and educational support of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The review aims to identify both the benefits and challenges of incorporating these…

STEM education aims to develop 21st-century skills, support economic growth and promote gender equality in STEM fields. It is known that gender stereotypes play a significant role in the formation of STEM identity. The most important factor preventing some high school-level female students from pursuing STEM careers is their lack of participation…

Background/purpose: Rapid developments in educational technology have led to the emergence of educational robots that serve as interactive tools aimed at enhancing active learning and stimulating students' thinking and problem-solving skills. The study aimed to evaluate teachers' perspectives on the use of educational robots in teaching…

In elementary school classrooms, Computational Thinking (CT) teaching often is embedded in problem- or project-based pedagogies and involves programming using Educational Robotics. Little is known, however, about how children solve problems in these contexts, and how task designs influence which CT and problem-solving processes they apply. In this…

The present paper draws on research experiences matured during systematic research and focuses on the potential and processes of scaffolding the development of preschoolers' spatial skills, through engagement in coding activities within the context of a teaching experiment. Children of two urban kindergartens, aged between 4-6, took part in a…