Building Student Understanding and Interest in Science through Embodied Experiences with LEGO Robotics

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine whether embodied experiences with LEGO robotics can build elementary school students’ understanding of and interest in science learning. Previous studies have shown that many children do not enjoy learning about science; they often find it very difficult to learn (Johnstone, 1991; Millar, 1991). We developed a curriculum incorporating embodied experiences and LEGO robotics so that when students physically move their own bodies and then program robots to perform tasks related to science concepts including force and mass, speed and distance, and friction, learning develops from personal embodiment to embodiment through surrogate robots. We compared the understanding and interest of students with the embodied experience to those of children without the embodied experience. The results showed that students improved in their understanding overall, however, students with the embodied experience performed better in terms of their understanding of physical concepts as well as their interest in science learning.