TeachBot: Towards teaching robotics fundamentals for human-robot collaboration at work

Abstract

The shortage of skilled workers who can use robots is a crucial issue hampering the growth of manufacturing industries. We present a new type of workforce training system, TeachBot, in which a robotic instructor delivers a series of interactive lectures using graphics and physical demonstration of its arm movements. Furthermore, the TeachBot allows learners to physically interact with the robot. This new human-computer interface, integrating oral and graphical instructions with motion demonstration and physical touch, enables to create engaging training materials. Effective learning takes place when the learner simultaneously interacts with an embodiment of new knowledge. We apply this “Learning by Touching” methodology to teach basic concepts, e.g. how a shaft encoder and feedback control work. In a pilot randomized control test with a small number of human subjects, we find suggestive evidence that Learning by Touching enhances learning effectiveness in this robotic context for adult learners. Students whose learning experience included touching the robot as opposed to watching it delivers the lessons showed gains in their ability to integrate knowledge about robotics. The “touching” group showed statistically significant gains in self-efficacy, which is an important antecedent to further learning and successful use of new technologies, as well as gains in knowledge about robotic concepts that trend toward significance.

Computational Thinking Development: Benefiting from Educational Robotics in STEM Teaching

“…Active learning is defined as an approach to instruction that encourages students to become actively engaged with the course material discussions, problem-solving, case studies, role plays and other methods. While robotics represents a hands-on learning platform (Bravo et al, 2021;Selby et al, 2021), the combination of robotics and an active learning strategy plays a vital role in generating synergy, and it is more effective when it is well harmonised (Lopez-Caudana et al, 2020).…”

The Influence of a Robotics Program on Students’ Attitudes Toward Effective Communication

“…Robotics serves as a hands-on learning platform (Bravo et al, 2021;Selby et al, 2021), but integrating robotics with an active learning strategy is critical to fostering student communication, and its effectiveness is enhanced when the two are well-coordinated (Lopez-Caudana et al, 2020). Diverging from previous literature, this study highlights the role of a robotic program in stimulating active student engagement through two-way communication in the classroom.…”

“Imagine and make”: teaching construction robotics for higher education students

“…According to Selby et al ( 2021 ), teaching robotics should aim at increasing self-efficacy for learners to increase their intrinsic interest in dealing and interacting with robots. Therefore, the pretest and post-test surveys in this study used a set of items to assess the improvements in the levels of self-efficacy due to the presentation of “Imagine and Make”, and the current study tests the following hypothesis:…”

“…To assess the levels of self-efficacy before and after “Imagine and Make”, ten items were adopted from the studies of Selby et al ( 2021 ) and Mallik et al ( 2018 ). For this section, students were asked to put their answers using a five-point Likert scale ( 1932 ) ranging from “Not confident at all to do the following task” to “Completely confident that I can do the task”.…”