Educational Robotics as a pedagogical tool for approaching problem solving skills in Mathematics within elementary education

Abstract

Over the last few years, Educational Robotics (ER) has been pointed as a rising educational tool with a greatest potential. Among all its attributes, what stands out is its adaptation to the problem based learning approach, where the emerging challenges promote active reasoning and critical thinking, also enhancing students' interest and motivation to address often complex subjects. These features make ER especially useful for teaching/learning Mathematics and Natural Sciences. In this work, a set of ER sessions is made available, which may be used to address problem solving themes related to multiplication and division operations, for elementary 4th grade students. These tools will enable teachers to address these subjects in an alternative manner as compared to conventional teaching. The resources provided in this paper can be framed within a wider context of an ER portal, where one may find other materials suitable for implementation in elementary schools.