Social robot radical innovation: capacities and status attributed to the NAO robot by 11 to 12-year-old students and preservice teachers’ perceptions

摘要

Children’s environments are radically modified by introducing artificial intelligence-based technology that can mimic human socio-emotional capabilities. Artificial intelligence facilitated the transition from computers to real-world embodied physical systems such as social robots, anthropomorphic artefacts with implications for child development and a distinctly radical innovation compared to all previous technologies in classrooms. Empirical research of child-learning process in an authentic classroom and teachers’ perception of how children perceive anthropomorphic robots is deficient. Teachers’ knowledge of students’ perception of technology is essential. Social robots are anticipated for future generations of teachers and students. A two-part survey applied ASOR ascription of mental capacities, socio-practical capacities and socio-moral status. Involved were two samples, elementary school students aged 11–12 and preservice teachers. In the first part, students’ perceptions of a social robot were examined. The NAO robot-assisted lesson was conducted in a regular classroom according to a regular curriculum addressing the role of technology in society, followed by a survey. In the second part, preservice teachers assess children’s perceptions of social robots. The study objective was (a) preservice teachers’ knowledge of which capacities and status students attribute to the NAO robot in an educational setting compared with (b) the capacities and status students attribute to the NAO robot. In data analysis, preservice teachers’ and students’ scores were compared. Our findings show that (a) preservice teachers don’t know students’ perceptions of NAO; (b) compared the perceptions of 11-year-old fifth graders and 12-year-old sixth graders showed no statistically significant difference. Examining gender differences three items were identified.