The role of robot-assisted learning in fostering learners’ motivation, self-efficacy, and autonomy: Self-determination theory framework

Abstract

The integration of robot-assisted learning (RAL) in educational settings has emerged as a novel approach to enhance students' academic outcomes. This study scrutinizes the role of RAL in fostering learners' psychological factors, namely self-efficacy, autonomy, and motivation. A total of 82 students from some universities in Xinxiang participated, and the three questionnaires, namely self-efficacy, autonomy, and motivation, were administered. The study used a pretest-posttest design, with data collection conducted in two phases: the first in October and the second in November. The students were assigned to two groups: the control and experimental groups. The former was taught based on conventional teaching, including PowerPoint presentations and hands-on activities, while the latter was taught through robots. The intervention sessions, namely the use of robots, played a pivotal role in creating a structured and supportive setting for students to interact with robots and improve their learning outcomes. With the provision of immediate feedback, motivational incentives, and bilingual support, these sessions were designed to cultivate a positive and engaging educational experience. The findings through running Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) indicated significant developments in self-efficacy, autonomy, and motivation for the group exposed to RAL, with medium effect sizes. These results suggest that RAL can be an effective tool for enhancing key psychological factors that contribute to successful learning outcomes. Indeed, RAL interventions generally yield significant improvements in students' psychological factors, particularly self-efficacy, autonomy, and motivation. By exploring the impacts of RAL, some educational suggestions of the study are pinpointed.