Educational Robotics in the Context of the Maker Movement

Book excerpt: This book gathers papers presented at the International Conference “Educational Robotics in the Maker Era – EDUROBOTICS 2018”, held in Rome, Italy, on October 11, 2018. The respective chapters explore the connection between the Maker Movement on the one hand, and Educational Robotics, which mainly revolves around the constructivist and constructionist pedagogy, on the other. They cover a broad range of topics relevant for teacher education and for designing activities for children and youth, with an emphasis on using modern low-cost technologies (including block-based programming environments, Do-It-Yourself electronics, 3D printed artifacts, intelligent distributed systems, IoT technology and gamification) in formal and informal education settings. The twenty contributions collected here will introduce researchers and practitioners to the latest advances in educational robotics, with a focus on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) education. Teachers and educators at all levels will find valuable insights and inspirations into how educational robotics can promote technological interest and 21st century skills – e.g. creativity, critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving – with a special emphasis on new making technologies.