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Social robots are emerging as learning companions for children, and research shows that they facilitate the development of interest and learning even through brief interactions. However, little is known about how such technologies might support these goals in authentic environments over long-term periods of use and interaction. We designed a learning companion robot capable of supporting children reading popular-science books by expressing social and informational commentaries. We deployed the robot in homes of 14 families with children aged 10–12 for four weeks during the summer. Our analysis revealed critical factors that affected children’s long-term engagement and adoption of the robot, including external factors such as vacations, family visits, and extracurricular activities; family/parental involvement; and children’s individual interests. We present four in-depth cases that illustrate these factors and demonstrate their impact on children’s reading experiences and discuss the implications of our findings for robot design.
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"That Was Mindblowing”: How Reading with a Social Robot Enhances Science Learning Experiences
Learning sciences research has demonstrated the importance of social interactions during learning to help promote deep and meaningful understanding through a process of co- constructing knowledge, but homework reading is typically done as an isolated exercise. We have developed a social robot to provide social interactions during reading activities with middle- school children, and in this study report on how interacting with the robot affected the learning experience. Our thematic analysis describes both direct and indirect benefits from reading with the robot. We conclude with theoretical and practical implications of these results.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1906854
- PAR ID:
- 10384277
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- ISLS Annual Meeting 2021
- Issue:
- Jun-2021
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 267-274
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Conference Paper:
- The DOI is not currently available.
