A Novice-Friendly and Accessible Networked Educational Robotics Simulation Platform
Despite its potential for STEM education, educational robotics remains out of reach for many classrooms due to upfront purchase costs, maintenance requirements, storage space, and numerous other barriers to entry. As demonstrated previously, these physical robot limitations can be reduced or elimina...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/2/198 |
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| author | Gordon Stein Devin Jean Saman Kittani Menton Deweese Ákos Lédeczi |
| author_facet | Gordon Stein Devin Jean Saman Kittani Menton Deweese Ákos Lédeczi |
| author_sort | Gordon Stein |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite its potential for STEM education, educational robotics remains out of reach for many classrooms due to upfront purchase costs, maintenance requirements, storage space, and numerous other barriers to entry. As demonstrated previously, these physical robot limitations can be reduced or eliminated through simulation. This work presents a new version of RoboScape Online, a browser-based networked educational robotics simulation platform that aims to make robotics education more accessible while expanding both the breadth and depth of topics taught. Through cloud-hosted simulations, this platform enables distant students to collaborate and compete in real-time. Integration with NetsBlox, a block-based programming environment, allows students at any level to participate in computer science activities. By incorporating a virtual machine for running NetsBlox code into the server, RoboScape Online enables scenarios to be built using the same syntax and abstractions used to program the robots. This approach enables more creative curriculum activities while proving that block-based programming is a valuable development tool, not just a “toy language”. Classroom case studies demonstrate RoboScape Online’s potential to improve students’ computational thinking skills and foster positive attitudes toward STEM subjects, with especially significant improvements in attitudes toward self-expression and creativity within the realm of computer science. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c28e195c819e4110a2ef274ab31c2d9b |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-c28e195c819e4110a2ef274ab31c2d9b2025-08-20T03:11:21ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022025-02-0115219810.3390/educsci15020198A Novice-Friendly and Accessible Networked Educational Robotics Simulation PlatformGordon Stein0Devin Jean1Saman Kittani2Menton Deweese3Ákos Lédeczi4Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USADepartment of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USADepartment of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USADepartment of Teaching and Learning, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USADepartment of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USADespite its potential for STEM education, educational robotics remains out of reach for many classrooms due to upfront purchase costs, maintenance requirements, storage space, and numerous other barriers to entry. As demonstrated previously, these physical robot limitations can be reduced or eliminated through simulation. This work presents a new version of RoboScape Online, a browser-based networked educational robotics simulation platform that aims to make robotics education more accessible while expanding both the breadth and depth of topics taught. Through cloud-hosted simulations, this platform enables distant students to collaborate and compete in real-time. Integration with NetsBlox, a block-based programming environment, allows students at any level to participate in computer science activities. By incorporating a virtual machine for running NetsBlox code into the server, RoboScape Online enables scenarios to be built using the same syntax and abstractions used to program the robots. This approach enables more creative curriculum activities while proving that block-based programming is a valuable development tool, not just a “toy language”. Classroom case studies demonstrate RoboScape Online’s potential to improve students’ computational thinking skills and foster positive attitudes toward STEM subjects, with especially significant improvements in attitudes toward self-expression and creativity within the realm of computer science.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/2/198computer science educationeducational roboticsrobotics simulationdesign-based research |
| spellingShingle | Gordon Stein Devin Jean Saman Kittani Menton Deweese Ákos Lédeczi A Novice-Friendly and Accessible Networked Educational Robotics Simulation Platform Education Sciences computer science education educational robotics robotics simulation design-based research |
| title | A Novice-Friendly and Accessible Networked Educational Robotics Simulation Platform |
| title_full | A Novice-Friendly and Accessible Networked Educational Robotics Simulation Platform |
| title_fullStr | A Novice-Friendly and Accessible Networked Educational Robotics Simulation Platform |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Novice-Friendly and Accessible Networked Educational Robotics Simulation Platform |
| title_short | A Novice-Friendly and Accessible Networked Educational Robotics Simulation Platform |
| title_sort | novice friendly and accessible networked educational robotics simulation platform |
| topic | computer science education educational robotics robotics simulation design-based research |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/2/198 |
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