The Application of Educational Robots in Individual and Collaborative Learning
Keywords:
Educational robots, Individual learning, Collaborative learning, Human–robot interaction, Smart education, Social learningAbstract
This qualitative review aims to explore the role of educational robots in enhancing the quality of individual and collaborative learning, focusing on learners’ cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions. This study employed a qualitative systematic review using inductive content analysis. Data were collected from Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, Springer, and ScienceDirect databases. A total of 12 peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2025 were selected based on their relevance to individual or collaborative learning through educational robots. The extracted data were coded and analyzed using NVivo version 14 through open, axial, and selective coding until theoretical saturation was achieved. The analysis revealed that educational robots enhance learners’ self-regulation, intrinsic motivation, and self-efficacy in individual learning contexts. In collaborative learning settings, robots facilitated social interaction, empathy, and cooperative problem-solving among learners. The effectiveness of educational robots depends on several factors, including humanoid design, the quality of human–robot interaction, technology acceptance by teachers and students, and institutional support. The findings indicated that educational robots transform learning from a passive process into an active and meaningful experience through cognitive and emotional engagement. Educational robots can serve as effective complementary tools to improve individual and collaborative learning outcomes. Sustainable implementation requires a human-centered, ethical, and culturally sensitive framework, in which teachers play an active role as mediators in human–robot interaction.
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References
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