Social Aptitude From an Educational Robot Helps Promote Interest in Science Learning

• In Event: Advanced Technology in STEM+C Education

Abstract

Interest scaffolds during learning activities can promote both short-term and long-term interest in the activity, and this effect is enhanced by presenting these scaffolds in socially meaningful interactions, but children often complete work at home in isolation. In prior work, we utilized a social robot to provide socially situated interest scaffolds during reading activity. To demonstrate the importance of social interactions, in this study, we conducted a randomized experiment (N = 63) of children reading a science textbook with either a socially adept or socially neutral version of the robot. Children who read with a socially adept robot had higher situational interest scores, more often described the robot in positive social terms, and felt more interest in learning about science.

Authors

• Joseph E Michaelis, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Bilge Mutlu, University of Wisconsin-Madison