Aligning the Design of Educational Robotics Tools With Classroom Activities

This chapter addresses the alignment of educational robotics (ER) tools with classroom activities. To this end, it first introduces a conceptualization of ER activities describing the relevant cognitive artifacts and the learning theories underlying such activities. Based on this conceptual framework, a set of design and evaluation heuristics are presented, aimed at supporting developers and educators in aligning ER tools with classroom activities and vice versa. The heuristics were elaborated in several focus groups with 35 developers and educators experienced in the domain. To evaluate the methodology in authentic contexts, two case studies with groups of developers will be presented. Moreover, to illustrate the usefulness from an educator's point of view, another example will be presented in which the devised methodology was used to guide the design of an ER classroom activity.