Calling for Diversity in Early Childhood Robotics Education: A Systematic Review of Research

• In Event: STEM-Related Topics in Early Childhood

Abstract

This paper presents a systematic and critical review of the research on early childhood robotics education, involving pre-kindergarteners through 2nd graders, published from 2000 to 2020. Through content analysis, the findings revealed that (a) most studies addressed outcome-focused aims; (b) few studies targeted children from underrepresented groups in STEM in terms of gender, race, and disability; (c) many of the studies featured technical education, cognitive learning domains, and/or preplanned robotics curricula designed by researchers; (d) most studies focused on three robotics tools, with few studies providing participants with varied options; (e) mixed methods, experimental research designs, and quantitative tests were frequently employed; and (f) three theoretical frameworks dominated the research. We conclude with implications for future research.

Authors

• Kyung Hwa Lee, University of Georgia

• Hyeungok Kang, University of Georgia

• Shinho Kim, University of Georgia - Athens