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Interactive Mobile Communication, Technologies and Learning

IMCL 2017: Interactive Mobile Communication Technologies and Learning pp 457–464Cite as

Programming Human-Robot Interactions in Middle School: The Role of Mobile Input Modalities in Embodied Learning

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Part of the book series: Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing ((AISC,volume 725))

Abstract

Embodiment within robotics can serve as an innovative approach to attracting students to computer programming. Nevertheless, there is a limited number of empirical studies in authentic classroom environments to support this assumption. In this study, we explored the synergy between embodied learning and educational robotics through a series of programming activities. Thirty-six middle school students were asked to create applications for controlling a robot using diverse interaction modalities, such as touch, speech, hand and full body gestures. We measured students’ preferences, views, and intentions. Furthermore, we evaluated students’ interaction modalities selections during a semi-open problem-solving task. The results revealed that students felt more confident about their programming skills after the activities. Moreover, participants chose interfaces that were attractive to them and congruent to the programming tasks.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    App Inventor: http://appinventor.mit.edu.

  2. 2.

    ScratchX: http://scratchx.org/.

  3. 3.

    Lego Mindstorms: https://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms.

  4. 4.

    ScratchX extension for Ev3: http://kaspesla.github.io/ev3_scratch/.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Informatics, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece

    Alexandros Merkouris & Konstantinos Chorianopoulos

Authors
  1. Alexandros Merkouris
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  2. Konstantinos Chorianopoulos
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Correspondence to Alexandros Merkouris .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, Villach, Austria

    Michael E. Auer

  2. Department of Informatics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Thrasyvoulos Tsiatsos

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Merkouris, A., Chorianopoulos, K. (2018). Programming Human-Robot Interactions in Middle School: The Role of Mobile Input Modalities in Embodied Learning. In: Auer, M., Tsiatsos, T. (eds) Interactive Mobile Communication Technologies and Learning. IMCL 2017. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 725. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75175-7_45

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75175-7_45

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-75174-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-75175-7

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