This is a presentation given at Digibury in Canterbury based on the work of Catlin and Blamires on the principles of educational robotics. Any unattributed photos are from Valiant Technology and are used with permission,

1. ERA Principles
(Educational Robotic Applications)
Dave Catlin
Dave@valiant.co.uk
Mike Blamires
@Mike_Blamires

2. Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013

3. But
In
Reality
Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013

4. What or who are they?
Photo: 20th Century Fox

5. Gove’s new generation of Teaching
Assistants perhaps?
Between 2000 and 2010 the number of
full-time equivalent teachers increased
by 10 per cent and the number of
teaching assistants almost tripled.
By the end of 2011, the school
workforce was more than 50 per cent
bigger than it was in 2000.
Given that schools spend almost 80 per
cent of their revenue on staff, much of
the additional per pupil revenue
spending went on workforce costs.
© Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
http://www.reform.co.uk/resources/0000/0765/Must_do_better_S
pending_on_schools.pdf
Photo: 20th Century Fox

6. Reform Think Tank on impact of
TAs
 http://reformthinktank.uberflip.com/i/131374
Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013
http://reformthinktank.uberflip.co
m/i/131374

7. Imagined classrooms of the future
Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013

8. Imagined classrooms of the future
Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013

9. So bring on the Robot
Teachers?
Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013

10. Projo @ Columbia
Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013
Source: Wall Street journal

11. Marvin the Paranoid Android
“What me? With a brain
the size of a planet.
You want me to teach
basic number bonds?”
After Adams
Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013

12. “The scheme is also a step beyond traditional
CSR programmes such as volunteering and
philanthropy. “
SK aims to create shared value among
stakeholders. "Our goal is to seek ways to
bring mutual benefits," explained Kim, "through
measures that help empower and develop the
ability of the socially underprivileged."
© Dave Catlin, Aug 2010

13. SK Telecom Smart Robots
© Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Source: Huffington Post

14. Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013

15. Richard Millward’s L.T. Map
Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013

16. But we have history:
The first floor turtles
A Jessop
Turtle
Circa 1982
Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013

17. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Roamer®
Educational Robot
Systems
Turtle
1983
Classic
Roam
er 1989
Roam
er 2010

18. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Classifying Robots
Building
Robots
Using
Robots

19. Safe Places for AFOLS
http://reiber.org/nxt/bin/view/Robots/Groups/WebHome
Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013
courtesy http://www.fbtb.net/2012/02/08/studs-
comic-6/

20. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Educational Technology
Technology Education is about learning
technology and educational technology is
about using technology to learn.
Bill Dugger
Chair Technology for All Americans
ITEA

21. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Classifying Robots
Using Robots
Roamer
Building Robots
Lego
Using Robots
Roamer

22. Technology
Technology can control children and what they
learn or children can be led to interesting places
and ideas through the use of technology that has
the aim of enabling the child to take control.
As Seymour Papert stated it is about children
programming rather than being programmed.
Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013

23. Why the ERA Principles?
The Principles present a framework that:
1. Explains:
a. How robots help students learn
b. The benefits of educational robots to teachers
2. Offers a check list for those who want to:
a. Design educational robots
b. Develop activities that use educational robots
3. Helps justify the investment by schools in robotic technology
4. Suggests underlying cognitive and developmental processes
5. Provides researchers with a set of claims to evaluate
http://www.naace.co.uk/1948

24. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
ERA Principles
Educational Robot
Applications

25. What is the link to robots?
Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013
 Model and photo by
Adam Cadwell
@adamcadwell

26. What is the link to robots?
Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013
 Model and photo by
Adam Cadwell
@adamcadwell

27. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Educational Robots can have a range of
intelligent behaviours that enable them to
effectively participate in educational
activities.
Intelligence

28. Goal Focussed
 Capability to Act in Unstructured Environments
 Task Specific

29. Task Specific Intelligence

30. Embodiment
Students learn by intentional and
meaningful interactions with
educational robots situated in the
same space and time.

31. Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013
Size of the Solar System
Mercury 57,910,000 km
Venus 108,200,000 km
Earth 149,600,000 km
Mars 227,940,000 km
Jupiter 778,330,000 km
Saturn 1,429,400,000 km
Uranus 2,870,990,000 km
Neptune 4,504,000,000 km
Pluto 5,913,520,000 km

32. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Students are active learners
whose multimodal
interactions with educational
robots takes place via a
variety of appropriate
semiotic systems.
Interaction

33. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Semiotics: The study of signs and their
use, focussing on the mechanisms and
patterns of human communication and
on the nature and acquisition of
knowledge.
Semiotics: The study of signs and their
use, focussing on the mechanisms and
patterns of human communication and
on the nature and acquisition of
knowledge.
Semiotics
Crystal, David, (1999)
The Penguin Dictionary of Language (2nd
Edition)

34. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Road Safety

35. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
A wide range of effective pedagogical
methods is available for using educational
robots in powerful learning scenarios that
integrate them into regular lessons.
Pedagogical Method

36. Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013
Twenty-Eight Methods
Catalyst Engagement Memorisation
Challenges Experience Pacifier
Conceptualising Experimentation Presentation
Cooperation Exploration Problem Solving
Creative Focussed Tasks Projects
Curriculum Games Provocateur
Demonstration Group Tasks Puzzles
Design Links Relational
Deduction Modelling Transfer

37. Adapted from © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010 by
Mike Blamires 2013
Robot Rally Race
 Challenge
 Experimentation
 Problem Solving
 Game
Museum of Science Boston
National Robotics Week

38. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Educational Robots can facilitate
learning and assessment in traditional
curriculum areas by supporting good
teaching practice.
Curriculum and Assessment

39. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Number Line Activities

40. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Educational Robots can enhance learning in
the longer term through the development of
meta-cognition, life skills and learner self-
knowledge.
Sustainable Learning

41. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Sustainable Learning

42. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Through engagement Educational Robots can
foster affirmative emotional states and
social relationships that promote the
creation of positive learning attitudes and
environments, which improves the quality
and depth of a student’s Learning
Experience.
Engagement

43. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Engagement: Emotional Aspects

44. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Educational robots support principles of equity
of age, ability, race, culture and gender.
Equity

45. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Dancing Roamers

46. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Educational robots personalise the learning
experience to suit the individual needs of
students across a range of subjects.
Personalisation

47. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
What is Personalisation?
 Giving each child the chance to fulfil their
potential
 The fulfilment of excellence
 Being responsive to the different ways students
achieve their best
DfES

48. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
Educational robots meet the practical issues involved
in organising and delivering education in both
formal and informal learning situations.
Practicality

49. © Dave Catlin, Aug 2010
With thanks to Dave Catlin of Valiant
Technology