Building Collaboration Skills in 4th- to 6th-Grade Students Through Robotics

ABSTRACT

Educators now recognize the importance of providing students early on with practice to build necessary 21st-century work-related skills, such as collaboration. School robotics programs are increasingly being used to meet the goals of STEM standards-based content assessment and the development of collaboration skills. However, limited investigations focus on how robotics programs develop collaboration skills in elementary-school-age children. The School Robotics Initiative (SRI) was developed to engage elementary-school students (grades 4–6) in problem-based experiences, so they may learn science and mathematical concepts and collaboration skills. The purposes of this study were to examine the processes of team formation and conflict resolution, and the behaviors between students, and between students and teachers, that encourage collaboration. Data collected included field observations from three classrooms over 3 years, supplemented with a review of robotics journals written by the children and annual teacher interviews. Findings revealed that the SRI promoted: (1) use of children’s strengths in team roles; (2) use of authentic, conflict-resolution strategies; (3) interpersonal connection, helping behavior, and sharing of knowledge between students; and (4) collaborative relationships between students and teachers. A model for developing collaboration skills in elementary-school students through robotics is proposed. Recommendations for future studies are offered.

KEYWORDS:

• Collaboration
• elementary education
• robotics
• team learning

Acknowledgments

The author wishes to extend sincere and heartfelt thanks to Dr. César M. Larriva, who founded and lead the School Robotics Initiative program, and offered much-valued support and guidance on this research. Special and sincere thanks is given to Dr. Mariappan Jawaharlal for his valuable robotics expertise and engaging role in developing and delivering the program’s curriculum with Dr. Larriva. Assistance provided by the following students is also greatly appreciated: Claudia Avila, Monica Chui, Jennifer Hsia, Kelly Murphy, and Jessica Tibbetts, who helped with observation data collection; and Jennifer Nguyen and Tiffany Truong, who aided with locating relevant literature.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.