To improve social inclusion and learning experiences, the RoboCOOP project, funded by the Erasmus+ KA220-YOU program, is investigating the integration of humanoid robots, such as Pepper, into classroom environments. According to a project survey conducted in Germany, Poland, Spain and Turkey, the potential benefits of social robots in education are widely welcomed, including their effectiveness in improving learning efficiency, encouraging autonomous learning and creating a pleasant learning environment. However, the survey results also show how critical and important it is to address differences in perception across nations, contextual and cultural issues.
The creation of a curriculum that emphasizes the technical (robot programming) and social uses of humanoid robots is one of the main outcomes of the project. This six-week survey implementation and evaluation period also included quality checks by partner institutions and translations into other languages. The project also highlights the importance of technology assistance and teacher training to address skill gaps and concerns about the integration of robots into classrooms.
The results and methods were presented at the TPM in Berlin on April 12-13, 2023, along with stakeholder engagement, sustainability and dissemination strategies. The dissemination efforts aim to leverage national and European networks to advance the project and ensure its continuation beyond its first term.