Use of Arduino in Primary Education: A Systematic Review

Abstract

In the last two decades, technological advances have been spectacular, and their transcendence has touched all areas of society. Specifically, in the field of education, these advances have allowed projects and approaches such as computational thinking to be taken up more strongly through interdisciplinary visions such as the STEM subjects and technological devices such as Arduino. The main objective of this article is to analyse the uses of Arduino and the achievements it has attained at primary-education level. To this end, a systematic review was carried out in the SCOPUS and Web of Science databases. The methodology used was the PRISMA statement and the SALSA framework. In accordance with the exclusion criteria applied, nine scientific papers from the last seven years were obtained. The qualitative software ATLAS.ti was used to extract the results. These papers reveal that the most commonly used methodology for incorporating the Arduino board into teaching is problem based learning (PBL) in the context of STEM subjects. In addition, programming environments, such as Scratch, and other electronic components have been used, which have enabled the development of computational thinking and the acquisition of technological knowledge, among other achievements.

Exploring Students’ Hands-On Performance, Attitudes, and Usability with Arduino Modular Boards

“…Furthermore, across the three learning units, it seems that modular boards have a greater impact on coding. These findings are consistent with studies emphasizing the advantages of Arduino applications in programming (e.g., [31]). Additionally, the utilization of pre-assembled circuits from modular boards and programming Arduino Uno using the user-friendly Arduino IDE software (v1.8.…”

“…Active student participation in the learning process can enhance their performance, particularly when it involves inquiry-based learning within a laboratory setting [29][30][31][32][33][34][35]. In recent years, the utilization of Arduino boards in this context has grown, with researchers and educators incorporating them as a useful tool across a broad spectrum of activities and fields [36,37].…”

“…Similarly, research by Fidai et al [42] demonstrated that Arduino applications may have a positive effect on students' computational thinking. Lastly, research by García-Tudela et al [31] demonstrated that primary education studies involving Arduino mainly aimed at programming development.…”

Arduino-Based Experiments: Leveraging Engineering Design and Scientific Inquiry in STEM Lessons

“…Arduino, with its open-source platform (O'Sullivan & Igoe, 2004), user-friendly interface (Thompson, 2011), and limitless creative potential, serves as a valuable tool for STEM education (e.g. García-Tudela & Marín-Marín, 2023;Plaza et al, 2018). Regarding knowledge comprehension, research demonstrated the usefulness of Arduino and 3D printing in teaching STEM concepts in educational robotics classes (Souza & Sato, 2019).…”

STEM methodologies and their importance in engineering training: a Scoping Review

“…By promoting the integration of natural sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics, this methodology seeks to develop in students a deeper and more complete understanding of natural and technological phenomena and the skills necessary to design, build, and program solutions to complex problems. (Akiri, Tal, Peretz, Dori, & Judy, 2020) (Lena, Lauer, Kuhn, Wehn, & Ulber, 2023) (García-Tudela & Marín-Marín, 2023 One of the main benefits of STEM methodologies is that they provide education more relevant to students' daily lives, allowing them to better explore and understand the world around them. In addition, this methodology encourages teamwork, collaboration, and creative thinking, essential skills for success in professional and personal life.…”