Encouraging classroom activities for children using avatar robots: a field trial

Educational institutions are facing a critical shortage of teachers worldwide. Consequently, the trend of introducing interactive robots into educational sites is growing. However, most previous research focused on specific subjects or time slots, and only a few studies have introduced interactive robots to participate in whole classroom activities with children routinely. This study investigates the use of avatar robots operated by multiple remote operators in elementary school classrooms. Over nine days, a 5th-grade class was observed to assess the robot's impact on student engagement, motivation, and peer interactions, and compared to classes where any avatar robots were not introduced. Key findings include improved student confidence in presentations, enhanced social interactions during recess, and positive feedback on the robot's role in supporting classroom activities. The results suggest that avatar robots, with consistent remote operation, can provide valuable educational support without strong negative reactions from students.