ABSTRACT. As robotics continues to shape the future of education, understanding its impact on learning and skills outcomes becomes increasingly critical. In this keynote, the results of our comprehensive meta-analysis on the effectiveness of robotics in educational settings will be presented, synthesizing findings from a range of studies to highlight key trends, challenges, and successes. This analysis provides valuable insights into how robotics-based education influences students’ outcomes across diverse contexts. In addition to the meta-analysis, the DuckyCode, a cutting-edge educational system designed to enhance the teaching of programming and robotics will be presented. DuckyCode incorporates an interactive educational robot, paired with both tangible and graphical programming languages. The tangible interface allows students to engage physically with the system, providing a hands-on, learning experience, while the graphical language introduces students to the fundamentals of coding in an accessible, graphical way. This dual-language approach is designed to support a wide range of learning styles and developmental levels. Drawing from both the meta-analysis and our work with DuckyCode, this talk will explore the potential of integrating physical and digital learning tools to foster skills and learning with robotics from an early age.

ABSTRACT. Robotics education plays a crucial role in preparing the next generation for a technology-driven world. The Work-Life Robotics Institute (WLRI) at Hochschule Offenburg provides children and adolescents with opportunities to experience robotics through immersive, interactive, and age-appropriate activities. This paper introduces the institute’s pedagogical framework, which combines project-based learning and edutainment to generate interest and deepen understanding of robotics. The program includes an engaging quiz to introduce participants to practical robotic applications, such as police dog robots and pipe-cleaning robots. A guided laboratory tour demonstrates advanced robotic systems, showcasing their innovative applications in both education and research. Participants engage in hands-on activities, from controlling collaborative robots in games like Jenga to operating industrial robots in simulated scenarios. Advanced learners further develop their skills through robot programming and simulation with professional tools. By tailoring tasks to various age groups, the program ensures accessibility and meaningful participation. The paper also explores the broader impact of such educational initiatives on integrating robotics into technical and scientific learning environments. It highlights the institute’s achievements in sparking technical curiosity, providing practical insights into robotics, and discussing how such programs can be scaled to support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education

ABSTRACT. e-Yantra Robotics Competition (eYRC), a pioneering initiative by IIT Bom-bay, is aimed at bridging gaps in STEM education through Project-Based Learning (PBL). While fostering technical competencies and life skills, eYRC faces challenges such as high dropout rates due to task difficulty, academic obligations, resource constraints, and collaboration issues. Using mixed-methods analysis, including participant feedback and task completion data, this research identifies the primary impediments and their underlying causes. These include task difficulty, lack of knowledge, time management, academ-ic obligations, collaboration issues, lack of resources, task-related issues, personal issues, resource constraints, technical issues. Recommendations in-clude pre-competition bootcamps, segmented tasks, detailed timelines, and enhanced resource accessibility. By implementing these strategies, eYRC aims to improve participant retention, and engagement in robotics education. This paper not only highlights the significance of addressing dropout chal-lenges but also provides actionable insights for designing inclusive and ef-fective robotics competitions. employment.

ABSTRACT. Innovative teaching concepts play a pivotal role in preparing students for the demands of modern industries. The Work-Life Robotics Institute (WLRI) at the University of Applied Sciences Offenburg develops educational modules that uniquely integrate theory and practice through robotics, automation, and rapid prototyping. The aim is to create a practice-oriented education that not only imparts technical knowledge but also fosters independent problem-solving skills and interdisciplinary collaboration. A particular highlight is the combination of hands-on training with innovative technologies, enabling students to experience real industrial scenarios in a practical context. This approach not only enhances technical competencies but also develops soft skills such as teamwork and analytical thinking. This contribution demonstrates how these teaching approaches contribute to a holistic education by preparing students for both technical and strategic challenges in the modern workforce.

ABSTRACT. In this article, we examine four different approaches to the implementation of robotics projects. We look at monodisciplinary, interdisciplinary and interprofessional approaches as well as the use of living labs against the background of skill development in students. We use the current Future Skill Framework, which comprises four skill areas: technological skills, digital key skills, classical and transformative skills. With the help of project examples, we explain the different project approaches and evaluate them using the skills set of the Future Skill Framework.

ABSTRACT. This publication represents a progression of our earlier research, which involved the analysis of Slovak teachers' assessment practices in educational robotics. We subsequently designed assessments for direct classroom teaching that reflected the unique characteristics of educational robotics, incorporating rubrics, peer assessment and self-assessment.These less traditional assessment methods are currently being validated in a variety of secondary schools across different regions of Slovakia. This paper presents results obtained from a case study. The subject is a teacher who participated in our research on the application of non-traditional ways of educational robotics assessment in direct teaching in a high school. For many years, the teacher had been assessing students in a way that did not include any feedback or differentiation between successful and unsuccessful students. After participating in the research, we noted positive changes in the teacher’s methods of teaching and assessment. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate how her perception of the subject has been influenced by the adoption of non-traditional assessment methods. We also discuss potential challenges associated with adopting these methods.

ABSTRACT. What does it take to run a successful lesson using educational robots? Working with schools and robots for over 40 years, I noticed many teachers achieve remarkable results with them, but others did not. I spent years trying to find what made the difference. Then, I discovered the work of Professors Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam on Assessment for Learning (AfL). I found a good match between how experienced teachers worked and AfL methods. Assessment for Learning helps teachers manage lessons using robots effectively—this paper is the 4th in a series where I look at AfL with robots. Here, I review Success Criteria in detail: How do they enrich lessons, and how do successful teachers use them? How do they support learning with robots, and how do some unnecessary bureaucratic problems restrict their effectiveness? We cannot measure achievement with simplistic measures like a grading system; it's highly personalised and manifests in many different ways. We can-not measure achievement with simplistic measures like a grading system; it's highly personalised and manifests in many different ways. Working with robots offers a far more nuanced and diverse way of recognising success and progress. Understanding what it looks like guides our ability to develop ways of using robots in education and how to help teachers get the most from the technology.

ABSTRACT. While internationally the trend of implementing robotics in the early childhood classroom increases, the United States is lagging. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the obstacles that prevent providers of early childhood education in implementing robotics into their curriculum. An analysis of the survey sent to providers is presented in this study that is intended to provide an understanding of the perceived and actual issues preventing implementation. The results of the survey demonstrate that early childhood pre-kindergarten providers and teachers perceive a plethora of variables that prevent implementation of robotics in early childhood classrooms. Lack of funding, teacher training, resources, technology support, and professional development are key contributors to the resistance toward early educator adoption of robotics. In the U.S. there is training provided for pre-kindergarten teachers in academic subjects; however, teaching technology is often missing. The results also indicate that early education teachers perceive teaching robotics to children as a benefit to improved literacy and math at an early age. While many of these results can be expected within K-2, early childhood education providers who operate pre-k centers face a variety of challenges including lack of teacher education, turnover, and technology training.

ABSTRACT. Due to the shortage of nursing stuff, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research implemented a new school curriculum - Generalistics - in order to lower the number of desperately needed caregivers. The curriculum is also implementing a more comprehensive use of new technologies. To create concepts for teaching units to this topic, a group of nursing school teachers attended the training week Geriatronics, which was organized at the Deutsches Museum in Munich in cooperation with Reactive Robotics and the Technical University Munich. Three different robotic care systems were presented to the teachers, who then developed a concept for their classes that could be implemented in a specific medical/nursing area of the curriculum.

ABSTRACT. This work introduces kinesthetic learning in an engineering university curricula through the use of educational robotics in a new form. Various studies have explored the use of robotics in education, highlighting its potential to improve Robotics education, this paper ex amines a university-level applied mechanics project in which students designed and built up a six-foot walking robot. The project encouraged creativity, teamwork, and technical proficiency, while providing practical insights into mechanical design and 3D printing focused on robotics and mechatronics. Survey results indicated that most students had limited prior experience with tools like Arduino, CAD software, and 3D printing, underscoring the need for such programs. Post-project feedback revealed a high appreciation for practical, hands-on learning and the visual rep resentation of mechanisms, which helped bridge the gap between theory and practice. The study concludes that integrating applied kinesthetic approaches to robotics design into engineering curricula improves en gagement, skill development, and the overall learning experience and has been a great addition to the traditional way of teaching the applied mechanics class in Italy

ABSTRACT. Research interest in robotics is increasing at all educational levels due to the potential benefits highlighted in the existing literature. The present study aims to explore the field of tangible programming integrated into early childhood education. It also examines how traditional teaching methods like storytelling can be combined with tangible robotics in papers published up to 2025 on six databases and one register. Hence, 148 articles emerged, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, examining the related field trends and the special traits of the studies (research method, sample size, intervention duration, story types, participants’-robots’-educators’ roles). Results reveal that the researchers used the qualitative method the most, examined quite large sample sizes, and avoided stating the exact intervention duration. Most of the time, the activities designed aimed at developing preschoolers’ coding abilities, computational thinking, problem-solving, narrative skills, and creativity. Additionally, the participants were encouraged to frequently create authentic stories and adopt various roles in small team groups facilitated by educators. Besides, tangible robotics were often utilized solely as an interactive programming tool in step-by-step presented activities. Finally, implications are formulated for the future design of robotics activities tailored to preschool, encompassing tangible programming and storytelling, to foster various skills.

ABSTRACT. This paper reports the effectiveness of primary school children at predicting likely robot failures that may eventuate during a programming activity session of the Kaspar humanoid robot in a classroom setting. The paper also explores the relationship between the predicted failures, the actual failures that occurred during the programming activity session, and the impact of these predicted and actual failures on the children's enjoyment of the activity. We found that children could not accurately predict those failures of the robot which did organically occur during the session, but neither the predictions nor the failures affected their level of enjoyment.

ABSTRACT. The advancements in mobile human-computer interaction (HCI) and human-robot interaction (HRI) have led to the design and development of innovative systems that use cutting-edge technologies. Augmented, Virtual, and eXtended Reality can enhance those interactions. In the present study, a system that utilizes mobile augmented reality (AR) for human-robot interaction in a learning environment is presented. The objective of this learning system is to provide students with enriched learning experiences. Students interact with augmented reality and a socially assistive robot in an educational context. The communication between the AR application and the robot is achieved using a client-server model. The evaluation of the system included a heuristic evaluation and a workload assessment. The results showed that the system has high scores in Nielsen’s heuristics and relatively low workload demands. However, the system limitations are pointed out. Successful system communication enables new possibilities for enriched HRI in educational settings. The implementation of the system in students and teachers will provide useful insight regarding its value in the teaching and learning process.

ABSTRACT. While there is growing recognition of the need to explore how telepresence robots (TPRs) can enhance inclusion and engagement in compulsory education, particularly for students who cannot attend school regularly, most studies are small-scale. Recognising that factors outside the learning environment influence TPR uptake, this study contributes insights relating to the uptake and use of TPRs from the perspectives of respondents at different levels of the educational system (school and department). To explore the organisational, pedagogical, and technological aspects of TPR adoption, this multi-level design involves respondents from five municipalities. Preliminary findings indicate that while TPRs can foster social and academic participation for remote students, schools often lack clear guidelines and routines to effectively administer and support their use. At the school level, support is often reduced to organisational and technological factors, and there is little evidence to support a relevant instructional design. These findings are critical as timely interventions and suitable pedagogical solutions are key to supporting remote learners' well-being, learning and reintegration in the physical classroom.

ABSTRACT. The emergence of telepresence robots in recent times has brought about a substantial change in the higher education sector by providing innovative ways to fill the gaps in hybrid learning settings. Hereby, we examine the advantages of telepresence robots over conventional teleconferencing solutions. This paper il-lustrates how telepresence robots create social presence and improve student engagement, especially for those unable to attend physical classrooms for extended periods, by highlighting the significance of robotic embodiment and making hybrid learning inclusive by giving more control over how remote students can participate. We followed the ADDIE design model and created a 13-week-long synchronous hybrid learning course where remote participants were used to telepresence to actively engage in learning. We adapted the learning environment and learning process to create a dynamic and engaging learning environment using an inclusive approach. The paper contributes to improving the quality of hybrid learning.

ABSTRACT. Unibotics is an open web framework for robot programming and teaching robotics in Higher Education. It is based on ROS and supports both Gazebo simulated robots and real ones. This paper describes the latest improvements on Unibotics regarding Service Robotics. Firstly, a new exercise has been developed from scratch regarding the navigation of a robot inside a warehouse for moving goods. Two logistics robot models have been designed to mimic real AMRs, and three reference solutions have been developed using the Open Motion Planning Library. They take into account the corresponding robot geometry and Ackermann dynamics constraints. Secondly, Unibotics has been successfully used in two different European universities and the teaching experiences are reported.