Learning to Teach and Teaching to Learn About Robotics at Primary Level - Professionalization for Inclusive Technology Education Integrating Theory and Practice

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by OmBimo

Teacher professional development is treated as a central task for teacher training and as a prerequisite for inclusive technology education in the digitalization era. Technology and digital technologies must be anchored in teaching due to curriculum requirements and the need to learn with and about digital technologies for everyday problem-solving. The text identifies gaps in primary teacher training in Germany and questions how (prospective) teachers can build and verify required competencies for effective inclusive digital-technology lessons.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Inclusive technology education and digital technologies

Competency development and teacher professionalization

Literature review

Sachunterricht and inclusive teaching frameworks

Multi-perspective subject and inclusion potential

Learning to teach and teaching to learn about Robotics at primary level: Professionalization for inclusive technology education integrating Theory and Practice Franz Schröer, Paderborn University, Germany Claudia Tenberge, Paderborn University, Germany Nele Schemel, Paderborn University, Germany Malin Osnabrügge, Paderborn University Lea Schneider, Paderborn University, Germany Abstract The professional development of teachers is considered a central task of teacher training and therefore also for teaching technology education in an era of digitalization. The anchoring of technology and digital technologies is becoming a mandatory task in teaching especially due to curriculum requirements and an increasing importance of learning with and learning about digital technologies for dealing with everyday problems (Ministry for Schools and Education of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MSB NRW), 2021) . The lack of emphasis on technology education in teacher training for primary school teachers in Germany presents a significant obstacle to the integration of technology education into the curriculum. Moreover, the individual decision on the extent to which technology education is addressed in the multiperspective school subject ‘Sachunterricht’ leads to insufficient consideration. Furthermore, studies have demonstrated that the self-efficacy and subjectively assessed competencies of teachers have an impact on the inclusion of technology in ‘Sachunterricht’ (Möller, Tenberge & Ziemann, 1996) . It is unclear how (prospective) teachers can acquire and test the necessary competencies to be able to carry out digital-technology and inclusive lessons in an educationally effective manner. To address this question, the present article employs a designbased research approach (Euler, 2014) to test and evaluate theoretical constructs in practice by prospective teachers. Keywords Inclusive Education, learning-robots, pre-service teacher education, problem-solving and computational thinking Introduction In the context of global challenges such as climate change and energy transition, digital and technical solutions are becoming increasingly important. As Müller and Schumann (2021) demonstrate, the topic of digital technology education in primary schools is gaining prominence, particularly in the field of education (Müller & Schumann, 2021) . The acquisition of competencies enabling participation in a digitally mediated world, including an understanding of digital and algorithmic principles, is a key factor in promoting general maturity and social integration (Bohrmann, Weber & Tenberge, 2019) . It can be reasonably assumed that the professionalization of educators, particularly in the context of technologyrelated instruction, will play a pivotal role. The rationale for integrating digital technology into the educational curriculum can be attributed to its cultural and scientific value, as well as its societal importance in the context of technological advancement and its impact on lived reality (Theuerkauf, 2009) . The significance of inclusive pedagogical practices for diverse student populations is another central focus. Although Inclusion and inclusive education are quite well conceptualized from a theoretical perspective there is a lack of transfer to teachers’ professional ways of teaching in inclusive learning environments. This necessitates the integration of theoretical and practical elements in teacher training, encompassing both the academic curriculum and professional development. The skills needed to participate in the digitalized world are summarized in the 'future skills'model. These include reflective thinking and communication skills (Bates, 2024) . In the context of technology education, the two aspects of 'thinking skills' and 'digital skills' are particularly significant. Bates (2024) highlights cognitive skills, which are fundamental to analysing complex problems and developing innovative solutions. The

FAQs

Why is teacher professional development essential for robotics and inclusive technology education at primary level?

The document argues that professional development is required to anchor technology and digital technologies in teaching and to enable effective inclusive learning in a digitalized era.

What obstacles exist in integrating technology education into the primary curriculum in Germany?

It highlights insufficient emphasis on technology education in primary teacher training and insufficient consideration of how technology education is addressed in the multiperspective subject “Sachunterricht”.

How does the article propose to address the competency gap for (prospective) teachers?

It uses a design-based research approach to test and evaluate theoretical constructs in practice through prospective teachers, focusing on competencies for inclusive digital-technology lessons.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by OmBimo