Sep 5 2014
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Image Credits: Digital Storm/shutterstock.com
The field of robotics has grown rapidly over the years, creeping into disciplines such as medicine, academics and forensics. The field of education has greatly benefited from advancements in robotics. A number of schools are slowly incorporating robotic teaching methods into their teaching strategies.
Robotic teaching generates a great deal of interest in children of all ages, when compared to passive teaching aids. Robotic learning is more interactive and tends to have a bigger impact on young minds. A robot teacher may be a simple teaching aid or an interactive tool that covers various academic topics for students of varying age groups.
Virtual tutors that are part of online tutorials can also be robotic teachers. By incorporating advanced algorithms in these robots they can be made to gauge the mood of the students or even detect a breech in their attention.
Research has shown that academic topics that are taught through robots have a lasting effect on students and also help in building self-confidence and team work.
Techniques of Robot Teaching
Robot teachers are mainly used to spark interest in the students mind about various concepts of math, science, technology and engineering. Teacher robots are autonomous, programmed humanoid robots that present interactive lessons to students. In some cases, robots are also used as laboratory assistants using which programmers can test their skills.
Teaching robots are often programmed to have enhanced social skills. These robots are programmed to emote through facial expressions, gestures and intonations. They also respond with appropriate body languages. Humanoid robots are designed with an exterior that resembles a human and they are capable of showing emotions such as anger, fear, surprise and disgust.
Special teacher robots are programmed to help in the learning of children with disabilities. Such robots are programmed using artificial intelligence and built in the form of toy teaching assistants so that children take an immediate liking to it and are eager to learn from it. Taking robotic teachers a step forward, remote controlling feature can also be incorporated in them.
The Teachers of the Future
Robotic teachers and teaching aids have taken education to a new level in the recent times. Teacher robots are capable of grabbing the attention of students of all ages and teaching various concepts in a more effective way. Future teacher robots need to be programmed with better social skills so that they can be more beneficial in teaching children with learning disabilities.
Sources and Further Reading