Analysis of Robotics-based Learning Interventions for Preventing School Failure and Early School Leaving in Gender Context

Linda Daniela (Corresponding Author), Raimonds Strods, Dimitris Alimisis

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Early school leaving (ESL) has become a problem plaguing many different countries around the world and several different solutions are being searched for. Gender, as a factor in early school leaving, has become a popular research topic among many researchers and has been displayed by recent OECD results that have shown that boys are dropping out of the education system more. Researchers are still debating whether or not the processes in school are inadequate for boys and so they're excluded out of the education system, the learning process is mostly organized according to the needs of the girls, not taking into account the boys' learning needs, and how the boys organize information and how do they find it easier to learn etc., or whether they are factors that are outside the school environment, which makes them leave the education system early. For example, the lack of support from parents, the desire to become independent and a desire for success, which they are unable to experience in school, a problem that is also related to motivation problems.

The idea behind the Erasmus+ project "Robotics-based learning interventions for preventing school failure and Early School Leaving" is to use robotics learning strategies to lessen the risks of early education leaving. Students from partnering schools in Greece, Italy and Latvia were chosen to participate in the project activities according to certain early school leaving criteria. Out of 101 students 77 were male and 24 were female students, making it clear already at this stage of the project that boys are more subject to risks of early school leaving, even in the partnering schools. The robotics activities were organized for everyone equally regardless of their gender. The main objective was to spark the students' interest in the learning process, promote their problem-solving skills, promote their motivation and lessen the risks that they face every day in schools. The robotics activities were aimed at students' getting actively involved in programming, testing their knowledge and constructing new knowledge. At the same time, mutual cooperation among the students was promoted, because they had to work in groups with one robotics set, thus promoting the ability to communicate, support each other, discuss the knowledge to be acquired and solve problems. Regardless of the fact that everyone involved enjoyed participating in the activities, more positive feedback was received from the girls involved in the project.

The aim of this paper is to analyse - are there gender based differences in how robotics-based learning activities tackle risks of ESL.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication9th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies
Subtitle of host publicationConference Proceedings
EditorsL.G. Chova, A.L. Martinez, I.C. Torres
PublisherIATED Academy
Pages810-818
Number of pages9
ISBN (Print)978-84-697-3777-4
Publication statusPublished - 2017
Externally publishedYes
Event9th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies - Barcelona, Spain
Duration: 3 Jul 20175 Jul 2017
Conference number: 9
https://epale.ec.europa.eu/en/content/edulearn17-9th-annual-international-conference-education-and-new-learning-technologies

Publication series

NameEDULEARN Proceedings
ISSN (Print)2340-1117

Conference

Conference9th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies
Abbreviated titleEDULEARN17
Country/TerritorySpain
CityBarcelona
Period3/07/175/07/17
Internet address

Keywords*

  • Gender differences
  • Early school leaving
  • Robotics-based learning

Field of Science*

  • 5.3 Educational sciences

Publication Type*

  • 3.1. Articles or chapters in proceedings/scientific books indexed in Web of Science and/or Scopus database

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