Especially these days, innovation and support from technology to relieve pressure in education is highly urgent. This study tested the potential advantage of a social robot over a tablet in (second) language learning on performance, engagement, and enjoyment. Shortages in primary education call for new technology solutions. Previous studies combined robots with tablets, to compensate for robot’s limitations, however, this study applied direct human–robot interaction. Primary school children (N = 63, aged 4–6) participated in a 3-wave field experiment with story-telling exercises, either with a semi-autonomous robot (without tablet, using WOz) or a tablet. Results showed increased learning gains over time when training with a social robot, compared to the tablet. Children who trained with a robot were more engaged in the story-telling task and enjoyed it more. Robot’s behavioral style (social or neutral) hardly differed overall, however, seems to vary for high versus low educational abilities. While social robots need sophistication before being implemented in schools, our study shows the potential of social robots as tutors in (second) language learning.
Social robots in education introduce new moral challenges. The aim of this exploratory study is to gain a better understanding of the moral conceptions held by parents regarding the implementation of social robots in primary schools. These moral conceptions are important because parents are the representatives of children, but also experience the effects of robot tutoring first-hand. Through empirical data gathered from focus group sessions with parents, we identified and categorised the concerns and opportunities linked to implementing social robots in an educational context from the perspective of parents. These opportunities and concerns formed the basis for identifying the moral values held by parents that are affected by the introduction of these social robots. We mapped the opportunities and concerns to a list of 14 relevant moral values regarding social robots and education as identified in a review on ethics and educational robots, in order to identify and conceptualise the relevant moral values for parents. We identified the relevant moral values for parents that are affected by the social robot to gain a better understanding of parents' attitudes towards the use of social robots in education, to help the robotic industry integrate parents' moral values in their robot tutor design, and to help create the necessary moral guidelines towards an ethical implementation of social robots in education.
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