Using robot-based practices to develop an activity that incorporated the 6E model to improve elementary school students’ learning performances

ABSTRACT

This study used robot-based practices to develop an activity that incorporated the 6E model. The sixth-grade students learned interdisciplinary knowledge about how to use Arduino electronic components, microcontrollers, and hands-on tools to make a “Crab Robot.” In addition, the students learned how to use Scratch programming language to control the robot and complete the “Crab Robot Crossing the Road” task. The study implemented a quasi-experimental design to examine whether the students who learned the robot-based activity using the 6E model acquired better learning motivation, learning performance, computational thinking ability, and hands-on ability than those who learned the activity through lectures. This study adopted purposive sampling to select 70 sixth-grade students from four classes, which were divided into the experimental group (6E model) and the control group (lectures). The experiment was conducted over a period of 18 weeks (for a total duration of 1,440 minutes). The results from the pretests-posttests showed that both groups of students improved their learning motivation, learning performance, computational thinking ability, and hands-on ability; however, the experimental group’s scores were significantly better. More importantly, this study provides a pedagogy manuscript for instructors who want to teach mechatronics programs and programming design education.

KEYWORDS:

• Robot-based practices
• interdisciplinary projects
• programming and programming languages
• computational thinking ability
• hands-on ability

Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the “Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences” and “Chinese Language and Technology Center” of National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) from The Featured Areas Research Center Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan, and sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, R.O.C. under Grant no. MOST 105-2511-S-003-049-MY3, 106-2511-S-003-019-MY3, 107-2511-H-003-046-MY3, 108-2511-H-656-001-MY2.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the “Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences” and “Chinese Language and Technology Center” of National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) from The Featured Areas Research Center Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan, and sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, R.O.C. [grant numbers MOST 105-2511-S-003-049-MY3, 106-2511-S-003-019-MY3, 107-2511-H-003-046-MY3, 108-2511-H-656-001-MY2].

Notes on contributors

Hsien-Sheng Hsiao

Hsien-Sheng Hsiao is now professor in the Department of Technology Application and Human Resource Development of National Taiwan Normal University. His research interests mainly focus on game-based learning, ubiquitous learning, innovative technology for education, and cloud-based computing systems.

Yi-Wei Lin

Yi-Wei Lin got a Master’s degree from the Department of Technology Application and Human Resource Development, National Taiwan Normal University. His research interests include robot-based practices, and hands-on ability.

Chien-Yu Lin

Chien-Yu Lin is now assistant Research Fellow in the Science & Technology Policy Research and Information Center, National Applied Research Laboratories, Taiwan. His research interests include STEM education, engineering learning, and e-learning.

Jyun-Chen Chen

Jyun-Chen Chen is now assistant Research Fellow in the Research Center for Testing and Assessment of National Academy for Educational Research, Taiwan. His research interests include e-learning, intelligent classroom, science education, STEM education, and gesture recognition technology.