Educational robotics for the development of STEM competence in teacher trainees

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. The percentage of women studying STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) degrees is lower than that of men, due to social conditioning, institutional structures, deficient advice and early childhood classroom environments towards other areas. Specifically, some studies are beginning to highlight the gender gap that exists in this field, which is essential for the development of society. Along these lines, educational robotics has become an effective tool to help awaken vocations in the STEM field. METHOD. The aim of this work was to develop the STEM attitude and competence through robotics in trainee teachers of the Degree in Primary Education, for which a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest was applied, where a total of 104 students participated. RESULTS. The experimental group that worked hands-on with educational robotics for 13 weeks obtained a higher post-test score indicating an increase in STEM attitude and competence compared to the control group. However, no significant intragroup or intergroup differences were found. DISCUSSION. Hands-on learning of STEM subjects motivates a willingness to pursue programming, improves STEM attitudes and skills through educational robotics in the classroom, promotes the inclusion of female students in STEM subjects and reduces the existing gender gap. Finally, fostering motivation and vocation in STEM subjects can have an impact on the fact that female teachers in training can incorporate STEM elements such as robotics in their subsequent teaching practice, and can develop positive and motivating experiences in primary education classrooms, so that students can enjoy learning robotics and arouse their curiosity for learning these subjects.