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A quote from recent study on the use of robots in education states: “Our findings suggest that robots can be effective teachers in a variety of settings and that they can have a positive impact on student learning.” (Kamarainen et al., 2023).

Intelligent robots are potential tools in education and child development due to their artificial intelligence capabilities, enabling proper interaction with children in various ways such as teaching, companionship, and assistance.

Intelligent Robots are effective as teachers by providing personalized and adaptive learning experiences, with robots assessing a child’s abilities, tailoring instruction, and adapting teaching strategies to suit individual needs. The algorithms utilized by artificial intelligence can analyze a child’s learning patterns and preferences to provide targeted feedback and guidance.

As companions for children, they can engage in meaningful conversations, play games, and perform various activities to provide a sense of companionship and emotional support. Children can also form emotional bonds with robots, treating them as friends or even confidants.

Intelligent robots can influence various aspects of a child’s skill development. One major concern of using intelligent robots in education is their potential impact on a child’s socialization.

Social interactions are promoted positively with intelligent robots for the development of social skills and emotional intelligence. The potential benefits of intelligent robots in education and child development seem promising, with ethical considerations, such as the privacy and data security of children’s interactions with robots, being safeguarded.

The design and programming of the robots should adhere to ethical guidelines, and it is crucial to strike a balance between the use of robots and human interaction. Robots can be patient and tireless, providing ample time and support for each student to learn new things. They can provide valuable feedback to students on their work to help them identify and correct their mistakes and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Intelligent robots may help bridge gaps for children to develop their social and emotional skills and find healthy ways to learn social etiquette. They can support children in developing their imaginations and creativity.

However, with all the benefits, there is a projection of replacing the human teaching work culture with intelligent robots, and that is something controversial to consider. Even though we can see the pros, nobody knows how well the students will respond to such teaching forms and whether they will be respected in their correct position. Will it be possible to instill discipline and correct behavior as we see with experienced professionals? Will students be able to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy attitudes?

Some examples of the use of robots in education are:

• Robots in Japan are being used to teach children about science and technology.
• In the United States, robots are used to help children with autism spectrum disorder develop social and communication skills.
• Robots in the UK are used to help children with dyslexia learn to read and write.

The study showed a significant result with students provided with personalized instruction and feedback, creating engaging and interactive learning experiences, including critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Important discussions on the use of intelligent robots in education and child development include:

• “The impact of robotics on education” (2023) by the World Economic Forum.
•  “The potential of social robots for child development” (2022) by the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence.
• “The ethical implications of using robots in education” (2021) by the Center for Data Ethics and Innovation.
• “The future of education: Robots in the classroom” by Forbes (2023).
• “How robots are changing the way children learn” by the Guardian (2022).
• “The benefits of using robots in the classroom” by Edutopia (2021).
• “The challenges of using robots in the classroom” by the Atlantic (2020).

Sources:- AI for Good, sciencedirect, springer