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July 28, 2021

Leveraging Simulators and Robotics to Enhance Operations in the Education Sector



Technological advancements are enhancing various industries like travel healthcare, education, and communication. The use of simulation and robotic technologies are proving to be excellent factors of existing educational resources. Technologies used in the education sector offer valuable day-to-day learning opportunities in special education. Applying simulators and robotics transforms the way students learn while creating an all-rounded and knowledgeable student. 

How to Utilize Robots in the Education Sector

Many students still prefer learning from a human teacher. However, the world has evolved and robots are fast becoming a common element in the education front. While robots in education are still a new concept, some experts opine that soon these units will be commonly used in classrooms across the world. 

Education is among the sectors where artificial intelligence can have a high positive impact. According to experts, artificial intelligence tutors may largely help students in their learning process. Further, AI tutors may offer teachers valuable data on student’s learning habits and recommend strategies to help customize individual student’s learning experiences. 

How to Implement Robots in the Classroom

With proper implementation, robots can be valuable teaching elements that deliver excellent results. Here are some guidelines to facilitate their use in the classroom. 

  • Have a clear goal. Determine the particular learning goal you want to achieve through the robot and utilize the unit for that specific purpose. 
  • Adhere to ethical guidelines. As you utilize robots in the classroom, you will need to adhere to appropriate ethical guidelines. As technology evolves and becomes more robust, ethics are fast becoming crucial, a factor that is applicable in robotic use. 
  • Ensure students are not overly attached to the robot. Students need lots of human social communication. Ensuring they understand that robots are there to facilitate learning and not replace human interactions is critical. 
  • Leverage robots to execute repetitive tasks. Robots today are not only advanced but they can handle repetitive tasks more efficiently than humans. Delegating time-consuming and boring tasks to robots gives teachers sufficient time to invest more time nurturing and educating students to improve their grades.  

Adhering to these guidelines plays a big role in maximizing the advantages for teachers and students. Further, you will have control over the units to ensure they are not misused.  

Present-day Robotics use in Education 

Currently, various schools across the globe have implemented robots in classrooms for testing purposes. For example, schools in Tampere city are already testing a social teaching robot ideal for math and language learning. Having fun is a critical part of effective learning, so this social teaching robot is programmed to dance and inspire students to dance and sing. The language can speak and comprehend more than 20 languages. At the moment, testing on this robot has been successful, with many of the students coping with it positively. 

Advantages of Social Teaching Robots in Education

Social teaching robots are ideal because:

  • They neither laugh nor judge students when they make mistakes. This feature is beneficial for shy students and slow learners. With these robots, the students can concentrate on learning without peer pressure or shame.
  • Social teaching robots do not tire from executing repetitive tasks. Robots do not get impatient, a fact that allows learners to learn based on their speed. They can take as much time as they need to learn new things without the robot giving up on them. 
  • Social teaching robots ask pertinent questions that meet the student’s learning level. These robots can personalize every child’s learning to their level. Doing so can be challenging for the most experienced teachers. 
  • They inspire students to participate in learning actively. This factor is crucial because keeping students engaged and motivated allow them to achieve their learning goals fast. 
  • Provides feedback to teachers. Social robots help teachers understand individual student progress, keep them well updated, and enable them to make suitable adjustments. Doing so helps the teachers be more effective in their job while enhancing their general learning experience. 
  • Social teaching robots provide great lessons on the proper use of robots in education. They follow proper instructional ethical guidelines and principles and improve individual student’s learning experience. These robots are currently in trial, and experts opine that they will execute more complex tasks in the future with continued advancements. 

The Position of Robots in Education in the Next Ten Years

Robotics and artificial intelligence technologies continue growing, allowing people to execute exceptional tasks with robots in education. Experts in the education sector opine that robots will be capable of reading and analyzing a student’s facial and mental expressions in the next ten years. Doing so will help them adapt to their learning habits and progress. 

Currently, schools in some parts of the world like China are leveraging facial technology that scans learner’s faces regularly and provides teachers with the necessary feedback. Teachers can leverage that information to enhance or customize teaching methods that meet student’s needs.

·AI and Robotics

Robots and artificial intelligence tutors will in the future be with learners across their learning years. According to experts, this will enable the robots to understand the students clearly and offer motivation, inspiration, and customized learning. Experts also believe that in the next ten years, and as teaching robots become more advanced and effective in education, they will reduce mentoring, overseeing, and teaching tasks for teachers. 

Within the next 7 to 10 years, VR (virtual reality) headsets will be cheaper and capable of offering an immersive experience, helping students learn fast and effectively. As a result, they will be popularly used in the learning process. It is worth mentioning that learners under 18 years of age should not utilize VR headsets for prolonged periods. Doing so could hinder their healthy brain development. 

Finally

Seeing that technology will be more advanced in the next ten years, teachers and parents should continue analyzing the prolonged impact of its use. Students should learn how to utilize advanced technology responsibly while adhering to set standards and guidelines. Always remember that robots should be serving you and not vice versa. 




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