Boosting children's creativity through creative interactions with social robots

Creativity is an ability with psychological and developmental benefits. Creative levels are dynamic and oscillate throughout life, with a first major decline occurring at the age of 7 years old. However, creativity is an ability that can be nurtured if trained, with evidence suggesting an increase in this ability with the use of validated creativity training. Yet, creativity training for young children (aged between 6-9 years old) appears as scarce. Additionally, existing training interventions resemble test-like formats and lack of playful dynamics that could engage children in creative practices over time. This PhD project aimed at contributing to creativity stimulation in children by proposing to use social robots as intervention tools, thus adding playful and interactive dynamics to the training. Towards this goal, we conducted three studies in schools, summer camps, and museums for children, that contributed to the design, fabrication, and experimental testing of a robot whose purpose was to re-balance creative levels. Study 1 (n = 140) aimed at testing the effect of existing activities with robots in creativity and provided initial evidence of the positive potential of robots for creativity training. Study 2 (n = 134) aimed at including children as co-designers of the robot, ensuring the robot’s design meets children’s needs and requirements. Study 3 (n = 130) investigated the effectiveness of this robot as a tool for creativity training, showing the potential of robots as creativity intervention tools. In sum, this PhD showed that robots can have a positive effect on boosting the creativity of children. This places social robots as promising tools for psychological interventions.Criatividade é uma habilidade com benefícios no desenvolvimento saudável. Os níveis de criatividade são dinâmicos e oscilam durante a vida, sendo que o primeiro maior declínio acontece aos 7 anos de idade. No entanto, a criatividade é uma habilidade que pode ser nutrida se treinada e evidências sugerem um aumento desta habilidade com o uso de programas validados de criatividade. Ainda assim, os programas de criatividade para crianças pequenas (entre os 6-9 anos de idade) são escassos. Adicionalmente, estes programas adquirem o formato parecido ao de testes, faltando-lhes dinâmicas de brincadeira e interatividade que poderão motivar as crianças a envolverem-se em práticas criativas ao longo do tempo. O presente projeto de doutoramento procurou contribuir para a estimulação da criatividade em crianças propondo usar robôs sociais como ferramenta de intervenção, adicionando dinâmicas de brincadeira e interação ao treino. Assim, conduzimos três estudos em escolas, campos de férias, e museus para crianças que contribuíram para o desenho, fabricação, e teste experimental de um robô cujo objetivo é ser uma ferramenta que contribui para aumentar os níveis de criatividade. O Estudo 1 (n = 140) procurou testar o efeito de atividade já existentes com robôs na criatividade e mostrou o potencial positivo do uso de robôs para o treino criativo. O Estudo 2 (n = 134) incluiu crianças como co-designers do robô, assegurando que o desenho do robô correspondeu às necessidades das crianças. O Estudo 2 (n = 130) investigou a eficácia deste robô como ferramenta para a criatividade, demonstrando o seu potencial para o treino da criatividade. Em suma, o presente doutoramento mostrou que os robôs poderão ter um potencial criativo em atividades com crianças. Desta forma, os robôs sociais poderão ser ferramentas promissoras em intervenções na psicologia

Boosting children's creativity through creative interactions with social robots

Creativity is one of the most important and pervasive of all human abilities. However, it seems to decline during school age years, in a phenomenon entitled “creative crisis”. As developed societies are shifting from an industrialized economy to a creative economy, there is a need to support creative abilities through life. With this work, we aim to use social robots as boosters for creative-driven behaviors with children.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Supporting Grade R teachers to integrate coding and robotics with mathematical concepts

Thesis (PhD (Computer Integrated Education))--University of Pretoria, 2023.The increasing dependence on technology has influenced the field of education, and there is a growing interest in introducing coding and robotics to young learners in South African schools. In order to understand how teachers can be supported to integrate coding and robotics with mathematical concepts, relevant literature was structured according to the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge framework. Participatory action research was conducted in four cycles by involving ten Grade R teachers and one external participant specialising in the field of early childhood technology and mathematics. Data generation consisted of semi-structured individual interviews, collaborative discussion groups and guided observations with the teachers, and photovoice as well as a researcher journal that was maintained to reflect on observations and experiences. The data were analysed using both deductive and inductive data analysis and data interpretation, resulting in the development of a preliminary framework and four guidelines. An external was invited to review the guidelines in a systematising expert interview during the final cycle of the research to provide a final framework. The study found that the integration of coding and robotics with mathematical concepts in Grade R can occur in a playful and informal way. The study recommends the use of a framework to support teachers in integrating these tools into their teaching practices, with an emphasis on meeting teachers’ needs (guideline 1), addressing external factors (guideline 2), carefully planning the learning process (guideline 3), and achieving positive outcomes (guideline 4). The study emphasises that teaching is a skill that can be learned and improved, and encourages teachers to use kinaesthetic, concrete, representational, and abstract experiences, to plan informal, play-based learning experiences. Overall, the study emphasises the potential of integrating coding and robotics with using mathematical concepts teaching in Grade R learning environments and offers practical guidance for supporting teachers in this endeavour.UP bursaryScience, Mathematics and Technology EducationPhDUnrestricte