The Use of Social Robots in Educational Settings: Acceptance and Usability

Robots have increasingly permeated multiple dimensions of human life, and the field of robotics has transitioned from its traditional association with industrial manufacturing to a broader integration into social environments, where robots are increasingly seen as companions to humans. Moreover, advancements in anthropomorphism and artificial intelligence have enhanced robots’ ability to engage in meaningful interactions with humans. These developments enable the creation of more sophisticated robots that can learn and adapt their behaviors based on feedback from human users. Such capabilities have paved the way for social robots to be utilized in providing assistance to vulnerable populations, including the elderly and children. However, while extensive research exists on the application of robotics in elderly care, studies exploring human-robot interaction with children remain limited. Specifically, there is still considerable uncertainty surrounding the effective integration of robotics into educational contexts. Several factors contribute to this challenge. First, the adoption of robotics in schools faces resistance from teachers, who may fear being replaced by robotic systems. Additionally, assessing children’s acceptance of robotics in the classroom poses difficulties, as current evaluation tools primarily focus on the direct observation of interactions. The acceptance and usability of robotics in educational settings are influenced by numerous factors, many of which are the subject of ongoing research. It is crucial to further investigate how both children and teachers perceive robots in educational environments, and to examine whether either teachers or students experiences the Uncanny Valley phenomenon—a concept that suggests robots should neither appear too dissimilar from nor too similar to humans.