Towards the Use of Personal Robots to Improve the Online Learning Experience

Abstract

All changes are difficult and moving from face-to-face to online learning is not an exception. Nowadays, online students have many supports to ease their learning process due to the evolution of Virtual Learning Environments (VLE), the maturity of the pedagogical models used, and the vast experience of online teachers who design, create and deploy successful learning activities and accompany students through these activities. However, these supports are mainly centralized within the contexts of the VLE or the virtual classrooms. Therefore, new online learners should get the necessary habits to enter the VLE and the classrooms frequently. In this research we present an ongoing study in which robots are used as personalized companions of new students. Robots provide personal feedback to each student with the aim of promoting behavioral changes that facilitate the learning experience of new students and potentially reduce their dropout.