Impact of Low-Cost Robot EducThermoBot vs. EXAO on Students' Motivation and Learning in Physical Sciences in Morocco

Abstract

Teaching physical sciences presents a significant challenge in various countries, including Morocco, where student performance remains a subject of concern. This study aims to investigate the impact of introducing educational robotics as compared to computer-assisted experiments (EXAO) on students' motivation and learning in physical sciences. We divided a group of 120 middle-school students into two cohorts: one used the cost-effective educational robot, EducThermoBot, as an experimental group, while the other employed traditional EXAO as a control group. The findings demonstrate that the integration of educational robotics has a noteworthy and positive impact on students' motivation, whereas the overall academic performance exhibited no significant disparities between the two cohorts. Notwithstanding some limitations, this research offers valuable insights to enhance pedagogical practices by promoting the integration of educational robotics into the teaching of physical sciences in Morocco.