eSchoolNews: 3 Ways to Turn Classroom Robots into Powerful SEL Tools

In this article, Kimberly Fogerty, Lead Makerspace Educator, describes her use of the KIBO as a key SEL tool. The article reads in part:
“If I had one teaching tool at my disposal in a classroom besides pencils, papers, and books, it would be an educational robot. A robot is the single most engaging learning tool I’ve used with students. It appeals to children of all ages, genders, and backgrounds—and it goes beyond technology to include so many learning goals. In fact, when I was at the pre-K-8 Park School, I considered it one of the most important social-emotional learning tools I’ve used.”

One example she shares:
“Since they had to share the robot with other students, they not only had to work out between them who got to use the robot and for how long, but they also had to attach their custom toppers to KIBO using the Velcro dots I provided, test their dragon dance, then take them off and go back to the design process if their topper wasn’t secure or if their programming sequence didn’t perform. It was a bit of SEL and the iterative design process all folded up into one activity.

Read the full article.