Robotics in the teaching of knowledge and interaction with the environment. A formative study in Early Childhood Education

Technology is becoming more and more present in the classroom. In the latest international reports that analyze the main trends in the integration of technology in educational contexts, robotics has been indicated as one of the emerging technologies with the greatest potential for application in learning and as a didactic instrument. The objective of this study is to see if the use of robotics in Early childhood Education increases the motivation of the students regarding the content, helps better their learning and establishes more positive socio-emotional relationships. The study took place throughout a teaching unit in the area of "Knowledge of and Interaction with the environment" with 48 students in Early Childhood Education, 5-6 year olds, and utilized a quasi-experimental design based on two natural groups configured into a control group and an experimental group. The only difference between the two groups is that in the experimental group, robotics were used, whereas in the control group, traditional methodologies were employed. The results revealed that the motivation, learning and positive socio-emotional relationships of the students were increased by the use of robotics as a didactic tool in the Early-Childhood Education classroom. These results show the need for bettering the formation of teachers in this type of technology with the aim of maximizing its use in the classroom.