From Prototype to the Classroom: Iterative Development of Conditionals in Early Childhood Robotics

Ewelina Bakala; Gonzalo Tejera; Juan Pablo Hourcade

doi:10.1007/978-3-032-05002-1_23

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Book chapter

From Prototype to the Classroom: Iterative Development of Conditionals in Early Childhood Robotics

Ewelina Bakala, Gonzalo Tejera and Juan Pablo Hourcade

Human-Computer Interaction – INTERACT 2025, pp.430-451

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, v. 16109, Springer Nature Switzerland

2025

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-05002-1_23

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Abstract

Computational thinking (CT) is widely considered an important life skill, crucial for active engagement in the digital age. Numerous studies demonstrate that CT development can begin effectively in early childhood. However, the incorporation of conditionals—a fundamental component of many CT definitions and a concept assessed in validated CT tests—into educational robotics curricula remains underexplored. This study investigates the integration of conditional programming into Robotito, an educational robot designed to teach CT to preschoolers. Across four evaluation sessions involving three experienced teachers (P1 and P2 participated in the first two sessions; P3 in the remaining ones), we identified the strengths and weaknesses of three conditionals prototypes. Based on their feedback we developed a final implementation that we evaluated with 30 preschoolers in a classroom context. This paper discusses the evaluation outcomes, emphasizing teachers’ perspectives related to children’s age and classroom context. Additionally, the Robotito simulator, created to facilitate prototype evaluation, was found to be a valuable tool for introducing Robotito programming to children.

Classroom Evaluation

Computational Thinking

Conditionals

Educational Robotics

Kindergarten

Teachers’ Evaluation

Details

Title: Subtitle: From Prototype to the Classroom: Iterative Development of Conditionals in Early Childhood Robotics
Creators: Ewelina Bakala
Gonzalo Tejera
Juan Pablo Hourcade
Contributors: Carmelo Ardito (Editor)
Simone Diniz Junqueira Barbosa (Editor)
Tayana Conte (Editor)
André Freire (Editor)
Isabela Gasparini (Editor)
Philippe Palanque (Editor)
Raquel Prates (Editor)
Resource Type: Book chapter
Publication Details: Human-Computer Interaction – INTERACT 2025, pp.430-451
Series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science; v. 16109
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-05002-1_23
eISSN: 1611-3349
ISSN: 0302-9743
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland; Cham
Language: English
Date published: 2025
Academic Unit: Nursing; Computer Science
Record Identifier: 9984962543702771

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