Educational robotics in initial teacher training: perceptions of potential benefits and obstacles

Abstract

International studies and guidelines point to the integration of educational robotics in teaching as a promoter of mathematical learning, identifying as main obstacles to the integration of educational robotics the high degree of specific knowledge involved and the scarcity of didactic support. The work developed in in-service teacher training highlights the positive contribution of the possibility to articulate theoretical training with the integration of educational robotics in teaching practices in real contexts, benefiting from objective tools for the construction of lesson plans. We discuss the contribution of an intervention to changes in the perception of future elementary school teachers regarding the potential benefits (PB) and the potential obstacles (PO) of integrating educational robotics into their teaching practices. No statistically significant differences were found between the pre and post intervention in terms of PB and PO. There was an appreciation of the potential and restrictions of educational robotics, particularly in the development of problem-solving skills and mathematical communication.