Using Robot-Mediated Activities to Promote Children's Collaboration in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Educational Settings

• In Event: 34.096 - MTCC Roundtable Session 12
  In Roundtable Session: 34.096-9 - Exploring the Potential

Abstract

This purpose of this paper is to examine the use of robot-mediated communication activities to foster equitable and collaborative interactions between children from Spanish and English speaking families. Using qualitative and ethnographic methods, this research analyzed data collected through triadic interactions among a moderator-mediated robot and two kindergarten-aged children, one English-dominant, one Spanish-dominant. Findings reveal that children were more engaged when activities allowed them to build on their family and community funds of knowledge, and that types of questions and activities played a role in children’s level of engagement and collaboration. A primary objective of this study is to better understand technologically innovative instructional activities that can promote cross-cultural and linguistic interactions among linguistically and culturally diverse children.

Authors

• Karla Vilchez Neal, Northern Illinois University

• Mengxi Zhou, Indiana University

• Yan Chen, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

• Laura Ruth Johnson, Northern Illinois University

• Yanghee Kim, Northern Illinois University