Using Robotics to Support the Acquisition of STEM and 21st-Century Competencies - Promising and Practical Directions

Oct 15, 2026

To enhance how educators use robotics to strengthen STEM and 21st-century competencies, the study reports evidence from focus groups and interviews with 133 elementary teachers and 46 elementary students, 19 video-recorded classroom observations, and a teacher survey in Ontario, Canada. Findings show robotics are used to support cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal skills. Participants also identify barriers limiting wider adoption, including gaps in curriculum and assessment integration, insufficient resources, and limited professional development and support. Practical policy guidelines address broader integration and potential post-COVID classroom implications.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages30

Reading Time1 h 16 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

The Changing Context of Schooling and Labour Markets

Using Robotics to Support the Acquisition of STEM and 21st-Century Competencies: Promising (and Practical) Directions Allyson Stokes Memorial University Janice Aurini University of Waterloo Jessica Rizk University of Waterloo Robert Gorbet University of Waterloo John McLevey University of Waterloo Canadian Journal of Education / Revue canadienne de l’éducation ©2023 Canadian Society for the Study of Education/ Société canadienne pour l’étude de l’éducation [www.cje-rce.ca](www.cje-rce.ca) Abstract To enhance how educators use robotics to support the development of STEM and 21st century competencies, we report findings from focus groups and interviews with 133 elementary teachers and 46 elementary students, 19 video-recorded classroom observations, and a teacher survey from Ontario, Canada. We find that teachers use robotics in a variety of ways to support the development of cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal skills. Despite the potential benefits, our participants identified several factors that limit the adoption of robotics teaching and learning on a wider scale, including insufficient curriculum and assessment integration, resources, and professional development and support. We provide practical policy guidelines to support the broader integration of robotics and reflect on how these recommendations may inform teaching and learning in a (post-) COVID-19 classroom. Key words: robotics, STEM, teachers, teaching, 21st-century competencies, elementary education Résumé Dans le but d’améliorer la façon dont les éducateurs utilisent la robotique pour soutenir le développement des compétences du XXIe siècle et des STIM, nous rapportons ici les résultats de groupes de discussion et d’entretiens individuels avec 133 enseignantset 46 élèves du primaire, de 19 observations de vidéos enregistrées en classe et d’unsondage auprès des enseignants effectué en Ontario, au Canada. Nous constatons que lesenseignants utilisent la robotique de diverses manières pour soutenir le développement des compétences cognitives, interpersonnelles et intrapersonnelles. Malgré les avantages potentiels, nos participants ont identifié plusieurs facteurs qui limitent l’adoption del’enseignement et de l’apprentissage de la robotique à plus grande échelle. Notamment, l’intégration insuffisante dans les curriculums et les évaluations, une pénurie deressources, et un manque de développement et de soutien professionnel. Nous suggérons des directives politiques pratiques pour soutenir l’intégration plus efficace de la robotique, et considérons la manière dont ces recommandations pourraient éclairerl’enseignement et l’apprentissage dans une salle de classe (post) Covid-19 . Canadian Journal of Education /Revue canadienne del’éducation [www.cje-rce.ca](www.cje-rce.ca) Mots-clés : robotique, STIM, enseignants, enseignement, compétences du XXIe siècle, Acknowledgements We appreciate the willingness of school boards, staff, and students to complete surveys, participate in focus groups and interviews, invite us into their schools and classrooms, and share resources. This research was supported by the Council of Ontario Directors of Education. Introduction Researchers and policy makers stress the importance of developing students’ STEM and 21st century competencies (Freeman et al., 2021; Kirschner & Stoyanov, 2018; Xie et al., 2015) . Robotics has been touted as one way to support the development of these competencies, including mathematics and science learning, critical thinking, collaborative problem solving and creativity (e.g., Kim et al., 2015; Mills, et al., 2013; Yang et al., 2020; Zviel-Girshin et al., 2020) . However, the promise of robotics falls short if it is under-utilized, improperly used, poorly understood by teachers and students, given to teachers with little to no training, or insufficiently tied to assessment and curriculum requirements (e.g., Affouneh et al., 2020; Becker & Park, 2011) . To enhanc

FAQs

What evidence sources were used in the study to examine robotics integration?

The study uses focus groups and interviews with 133 elementary teachers and 46 elementary students, 19 video-recorded classroom observations, and a teacher survey in Ontario, Canada.

How do teachers use robotics to support learning and competencies?

Teachers use robotics in multiple ways to support development of cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal skills.

What factors limit the broader adoption of robotics teaching and learning?

Participants report insufficient curriculum and assessment integration, lack of resources, and limited professional development and support.

Oct 15, 2026

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