Robotics for the Inclusive Development of Children in Bilingual Learning Environments

Our objective in implementing this project was to expand the circle of teachers and students reached by the RIDE methodology and toolset in several ways. In addition to the eight target countries ...

Our objective in implementing this project was to expand the circle of teachers and students reached by the RIDE methodology and toolset in several ways. In addition to the eight target countries covered so far, we wanted to make the teaching materials available to educational institutions in French-speaking countries as part of the RIDEbi project. This linguistic expansion results in significant geographical expansion, as the French language allows us to reach many countries in Europe and beyond. We aimed to further develop the inclusive nature of the RIDE methodology: in addition to SEN students, we wanted to make it suitable for supporting the integration of migrant and refugee children into schools and overcoming language barriers. We intended to further develop the selection of stories promoting European cultural heritage with additional classic works of youth literature. We were interested in exploring the cross-functionality of the storytelling method with robotics within the framework of the RIDE methodology. We also aimed to increase interest in the RIDE methodology and the number of educators using it.

We translated 3 modules from the teaching materials developed in previous RIDE projects into French and 7 into Ukrainian, with a focus on ensuring not only linguistic accuracy but also pedagogical clarity and cultural appropriateness. We developed three new modules based on the RIDE methodology. One of them was created using a new methodology: the text forming the basis of the module was written by the children using storytelling. Each story was transformed into a full RIDE module. The translated and developed modules were published on riderobotics.eu after careful preparation and peer review. The new modules developed in the project were tested with inclusive groups of 9-11-year-old children in the three partner countries. During the piloting, we carried out impact measurement and collected feedback from the children and the implementing teachers. At TPM-s, we shared the RIDE methodology and good practices. We also held discussions on adjustments to the cultural and pedagogical systems of each partner country, feedback on the implementation, and the maintenance of the project results. We prepared interested teachers from the three partner countries to use the RIDE method through multiplier events (teacher training sessions).

By translating the modules developed during previous RIDE projects, we achieved the geographical, linguistic, and inclusive expansion of the RIDE methodology. We have supplemented the RIDE curriculum with three new modules. Two of these are based on classic works of youth literature (The Little Prince, Odyssey). The third is about the integration of a refugee child into school, based on the story telling methodology (Yana’s New World). Each story was transformed into a full RIDE learning module, including a narrative adapted for students aged 9–11, robotics programming tasks inspired by key events or themes in the story, student worksheets and group activities, a comprehensive teacher guide with lesson plans, methodological advice, and classroom facilitation tools. The modules translated into French and Ukrainian, as well as the new modules, are freely available on riderobotics.eu. Impact measurement and feedback showed that the reading comprehension and computational thinking of the students participating in the pilot improved. The dynamics of the groups shifted towards cohesion, and the project promoted acceptance. The tolerance, engagement, and civic responsibility of the children working on the Yana story improved.