This observational study analyzes the effectiveness of the non-humanoid robot Ozobot as interactive-tool for school- children to enhance their potential of creative thinking. Based on the socio-constructivist theoretical background, referring to the zone of proximal development and the socio-cognitive conflict, the study compares three experimental condition (Ozobot Single Work, Ozobot Pair Work, and Control Group) of a problem-solving task with a robot (programming the robot to perform a given route in a preconfigured labyrinth). 171 children (85 females, 86 males), aged between 9 (IV class) and 10 years (V class) of two centralnorthern Italy primary schools, participated in the study. Children were randomly assigned to one of the three group conditions. Results show that children who performed the task alone with the educational robot (Ozobot Single Work) significantly improved their potential of creative thinking, compared both to those who perform the task in pair with the educational robot (Ozobot Pair Work) and to the control group. No gender differences occur.

Enhancing the Potential of Creative Thinking in Children with Educational Robots

Elvis Mazzoni
Primo
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
;
Martina Benvenuti
Secondo
Conceptualization
;
Sara Giovagnoli
Ultimo
Data Curation
2020

Abstract

This observational study analyzes the effectiveness of the non-humanoid robot Ozobot as interactive-tool for school- children to enhance their potential of creative thinking. Based on the socio-constructivist theoretical background, referring to the zone of proximal development and the socio-cognitive conflict, the study compares three experimental condition (Ozobot Single Work, Ozobot Pair Work, and Control Group) of a problem-solving task with a robot (programming the robot to perform a given route in a preconfigured labyrinth). 171 children (85 females, 86 males), aged between 9 (IV class) and 10 years (V class) of two centralnorthern Italy primary schools, participated in the study. Children were randomly assigned to one of the three group conditions. Results show that children who performed the task alone with the educational robot (Ozobot Single Work) significantly improved their potential of creative thinking, compared both to those who perform the task in pair with the educational robot (Ozobot Pair Work) and to the control group. No gender differences occur.
2020
Elvis Mazzoni, Martina Benvenuti, Alice Tartarini, Sara Giovagnoli
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/820324
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