Educational robotics to enhance knowledge and skills in higher education: A systematic review

Because of its ability to prepare students for the 21st century world of work, educational robotics (RE) has assumed a prominent role in education. Following the methodology provided by Kitchenham, we conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) to provide a comprehensive overview of studies, research, and practices related to robotics education in higher education. The study focuses on identifying the most commonly used RE hardware-based platforms in academic research publications, the type of knowledge intended to be imparted, and the skills or competencies reinforced by the platforms. Within the findings we can underline that there is no exclusive platform, but rather commercial ones are used, made by the researchers themselves, and even adapted from robots that were not designed for instructional purposes. Moreover, the subjects intended to be taught were all related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and oriented to electrical engineering, electronics, robotics, and computer science professions. On the other hand, the skills that improved the most were computational thinking, cooperation and sophisticated problem solving, which are essential for 21st century job descriptions.