Joo Ok Lee

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Dr. Joo Ok Lee is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of early childhood education and artificial intelligence, with a primary focus on how young children learn through interaction with humanoid and programmable robots. Her work investigates the cognitive and developmental benefits of integrating AI-driven robots into preschool and kindergarten classrooms, particularly in fostering foundational programming skills. Dr. Lee’s most influential study, "Incorporating Humanoid Artificial Intelligence (AI) Robots into Early Childhood Education" (2024), has garnered 14 citations and provides a groundbreaking framework for using social robots as interactive learning companions. Her earlier research, "Investigating Children's Programming Skills Through Play with Robots (KIBO)" (2023), with 12 citations, demonstrates how tangible, screen-free robotics like KIBO can effectively teach sequencing and computational thinking to children as young as four. By blending developmental psychology with human-robot interaction, Dr. Lee has established herself as a leading voice in the emerging field of AI-powered early learning. Her work not only advances pedagogical theory but also offers practical, evidence-based guidelines for educators seeking to responsibly introduce technology in early childhood settings.