Giacomo Santerini

Papers

Total Citations

202

H-Index

About

Giacomo Santerini is a leading researcher in developmental psychology and educational technology, with a focus on how interactive tools can enhance cognitive development in early childhood. His most influential work centers on the intersection of educational robotics and executive functions—the higher-order cognitive skills essential for learning, such as working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. In his landmark pilot study, "Educational Robotics intervention on Executive Functions in preschool children" (2017), Santerini demonstrated that structured, robot-based activities can significantly boost these critical abilities in children as young as three to five years old. This paper, with over 200 citations, has become a cornerstone for researchers and educators exploring playful, technology-driven learning interventions. Santerini’s contributions extend beyond the lab; he actively collaborates with schools to design curricula that integrate robotics into daily classroom routines. His work has been recognized for bridging the gap between cognitive science and practical pedagogy, offering evidence that even simple programmable robots can serve as powerful scaffolds for developing self-regulation and problem-solving skills. For students and researchers, Santerini’s research provides a compelling blueprint for harnessing technology to support foundational learning in the earliest years.