Robotics in compensatory education

The specific aim of our project was to develop, provide access to and promote a methodology for using educational robotics in compensatory education. We aimed at developing a collection of best p...

The specific aim of our project was to develop, provide access to and promote a methodology for using educational robotics in compensatory education. We aimed at developing a collection of best practices and methodological guidelines and making them available in three languages. The aim of the collection of teaching materials was to help teachers to integrate robotics-based activities supporting differentiation and compensation for disadvantage into the school curriculum in the form of micro-projects prepared for classroom use and adapted to the curricula of the partner countries. We also wanted to promote the sharing of good practices and professional networking between the Hungarian and Spanish teachers involved in the project. Our aim was to increase the professional capacity of the teachers, to develop their European identity and to give a European dimension to their professional activities. By disseminating good practices and sharing knowledge, we wanted to promote the development and school integration of children with social or learning disadvantages, or who are refugees.

Experience and knowledge sharing: Within the framework of two Joint Teacher Training mobilities, staff members of the two partner organizations and teachers from schools involved in the project shared their experiences and practices in the field of disadvantage compensation and the use of educational robotics. Curriculum development: The partner organizations developed the methodological materials based on the intersections of the Hungarian and Spanish curricula. The teaching materials recommend the use of five types of robots. During the development of the teaching materials, the two partner organizations continuously consulted and coordinated their development work. The participating teachers were also involved in the development process. The teaching materials were tested with the participation of teachers and students from the schools involved in the project, and an impact assessment was carried out. Dissemination of project results: The teaching materials were translated into Hungarian, Spanish, and English and made freely available on the robocomp.abacusan.hu website. They were also made more widely known through teacher training courses and knowledge sharing.

We developed a collection of teaching materials consisting of 40 mini-projects The teaching materials are based on the use of indi, AI vinu, HP Otto, ArTeC, and micro:bit robots and support differentiated school education. The completed teaching materials are freely available in English, Hungarian, and Spanish on the website https://robocomp.abacusan.hu/. We tested the developed teaching materials in schools in Hungary and Spain. The students participating in the testing were also assessed. The results of the test lessons and the impact assessment show that the use of the teaching materials contributed to the improvement of the target group's academic performance and the social integration of the children concerned. The partner organizations and teachers from the involved schools shared their experiences and best practices during the mobilities and joint work. The teachers learned about the education system and curriculum of the other country, identified common problems and solution strategies. Their European identity was strengthened and their perspectives broadened. At knowledge-sharing events held in the partner countries, we drew attention to the results of the project, thus broadening the circle of those who use them.