Robots as Social and Behavioral Change Agents in the Classroom

The use of robots in a multitude of contexts is becoming increasingly mainstream, both in society as a whole and educational contexts. One pressing concern about the integration of robots into a classroom is the short- and long-term effects on students’ social skill development. Research suggests that social skills may overall be impeded by extensive interactions with robots, as well as a blurring of the boundaries between human and non-human entities. Moreover, there is a lack of research examining the real-time effects of robots on students’ social skill development, as well as what the implications of developing social skills from a robot might mean for the future of humans as social creatures. Higher education staff and faculty are gatekeepers for students before they enter a public and social space beyond school, so it’s imperative that staff and faculty clearly delineate the benefits and drawbacks from using robotics and AI as a whole in classroom instruction. The objectives of this presentation are to engage in critical inquiry with higher education staff and faculty to evaluating students’ current social skills, reflect on the impact robotics or AI have on those social skills, and create a shared manifesto of aims and uses of robotics and AI that develop and nurture students’ social skill development while not inhibiting or harming those skills. Activities in this presentation include identifying key social skills, understanding how social skills present in classroom contexts, and examining current uses of robotics and AI in higher education classrooms.