Integrating Educational Robotics to Enhance Learning for Gifted and Talented Students

Abstract

Using educational robotics as a learning tool fosters gifted and talented students' learning, helping to instill the qualities necessary for them to be successful 21st century citizens and innovators who can profoundly affect the future US economy. Educational robotics provides a stimulating hands-on learning environment in which students constantly encounter problems that trigger inquiries, inspiring them to develop new solutions, test them out using the physical robots, and reiterate the process until they successfully solve the problems. Although educational robotics is considered “the most perfect instructional approach currently available” (Gura, 2013, para. 2), just bringing the tool into a classroom does not necessarily create the learning transformation that we wish to witness. The chapter presents the theories behind ideal Robotics in Education (RiE) approaches, introducing tips to ensure effective student learning and to maximize the potential of able students to display giftedness.