Employing an underwater vehicle in education as a learning tool for Python programming

Abstract

Getting students motivated and interested in their education can be challenging in any classroom setting, even more so in an online learning environment. In this spectrum, educational robotics (ER) has demonstrated numerous advantages in the educational environment, not only by facilitating teaching, but also enabling the cultivation of manyfold skills, including creativity, problem‐solving, and teamwork. Meanwhile, many methods have been developed with the aid of technology to improve the teaching process and boost students' ability to learn. Blended learning is one approach that integrates conventional classroom methods with digital resources in an effort to foster students' creativity. But how can blended learning be combined with robotics? The objective of this paper is to evaluate the impact of employing an underwater vehicle, called educational underwater vehicle (EDUV), in conjunction with a dedicated programming learning platform within the context of a programming course that is offered at the high school level. In this work, this platform is utilized by students in secondary education, and a survey was conducted prior and after using the underwater vehicle's platform based on two questionnaires. The survey included 112 Greek participants, 64 males and 48 females in the age range of 14–18 years old. The experimental results show an increase in their motivation and creativity. In other words, they are more engaged in the classroom and the lesson becomes more enjoyable. More specifically, the survey revealed that most participants are familiar with computers but have limited knowledge of robotics and programming. After training on the EDUV platform, participants showed a significant increase in correct responses for Python and Blockly environments, with an average of 50.7% in four programming‐related questions. The platform also reduced “do not know” replies, which means that the student's self‐esteem increased. The paired sample T‐test showed that the EDUV platform positively influenced participants' perceptions of robotics and motivated them to further their education. In this paper, the related work is discussed, and the architecture of the vehicle is analyzed, along with the integration with the online platform. In addition, the methodology performed is explained and divided into steps. Finally, the experimental results are discussed. Instructions, 3D models, and code can be found in the github repository https://github.com/MariosVasileiou/EDUV.