research-article

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Children teach a care-receiving robot to promote their learning: field experiments in a classroom for vocabulary learning

Authors:

Fumihide Tanaka,

Shizuko MatsuzoeAuthors Info & Claims

Journal of Human-Robot Interaction, Volume 1, Issue 1

Pages 78 - 95

https://doi.org/10.5898/JHRI.1.1.Tanaka

Published: 28 July 2012 Publication History

Abstract

In contrast to conventional teaching agents (including robots) that were designed to play the role of human teachers or caregivers, we propose the opposite scenario in which robots receive instruction or care from children. We hypothesize that by using this care-receiving robot, we may construct a new educational framework whose goal is to promote children's spontaneous learning by teaching through their teaching the robot. In this paper, we describe the introduction of a care-receiving robot into a classroom at an English language school for Japanese children (3--6 years of age) and then conduct an experiment to evaluate if the care-receiving robot can promote their learning using English verbs. The results suggest that the idea of a care-receiving robot is feasible and that the robot can help children learn new English verbs efficiently. In addition, we report on investigations into several forms of teaching performed by children, which were revealed through observations of the children, parent interviews, and other useful knowledge. These can be used to improve the design of care-receiving robots for educational purposes.

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Cited By

Ekström SPareto LLjungblad S(2025)Teaching in a collaborative mathematic learning activity with and without a social robotEducation and Information Technologies10.1007/s10639-024-12926-230:1(1301-1328)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2025
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s10639-024-12926-2
Adachi YTanaka F(2024)Development of a Robotic Device that Performs Head Bunting to Relieve User TensionACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction10.1145/370060014:2(1-15)Online publication date: 14-Oct-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3700600
Collyer-Hoar GRubegni EMalinverni LYip J(2024)"It's kind of weird talking to a sphere": Exploring Children's Hopes and Fears on Social Robot Morphology Using Speculative Research MethodsProceedings of the 2024 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference10.1145/3643834.3661526(276-288)Online publication date: 1-Jul-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3643834.3661526
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Information & Contributors

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Published In

cover image Journal of Human-Robot Interaction

Journal of Human-Robot Interaction Volume 1, Issue 1

Inaugural Special Issue: Intersection of Systems Sciences and Human Sciences

July 2012

135 pages

EISSN:2163-0364

Editor:
Sara Kiesler

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Journal of Human-Robot Interaction Steering Committee

Publication History

Published: 28 July 2012

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Cited By

Ekström SPareto LLjungblad S(2025)Teaching in a collaborative mathematic learning activity with and without a social robotEducation and Information Technologies10.1007/s10639-024-12926-230:1(1301-1328)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2025
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s10639-024-12926-2
Adachi YTanaka F(2024)Development of a Robotic Device that Performs Head Bunting to Relieve User TensionACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction10.1145/370060014:2(1-15)Online publication date: 14-Oct-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3700600
Collyer-Hoar GRubegni EMalinverni LYip J(2024)"It's kind of weird talking to a sphere": Exploring Children's Hopes and Fears on Social Robot Morphology Using Speculative Research MethodsProceedings of the 2024 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference10.1145/3643834.3661526(276-288)Online publication date: 1-Jul-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3643834.3661526
Jing MHu TLi HXu Y(2024)The Transfer Deficit in the Context of Social Robots: A Case of Early Spatial Learning from Screen-Based TechnologyProceedings of the 23rd Annual ACM Interaction Design and Children Conference10.1145/3628516.3659384(725-731)Online publication date: 17-Jun-2024
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Zhang NXu JZhang XWang Y(2024)Social robots supporting children’s learning and development: Bibliometric and visual analysisEducation and Information Technologies10.1007/s10639-023-12362-829:10(12115-12142)Online publication date: 1-Jul-2024
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Issa INurgazy SMadeniyetov MSandygulova ACastellano GRiek LCakmak MLeite I(2023)Robot-Assisted Word-to-Picture Matching Game for Language LearningCompanion of the 2023 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction10.1145/3568294.3580179(711-715)Online publication date: 13-Mar-2023
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