Educational Robotics in Preschool and Primary Education: A Systematic Review of LEGO® WeDo and WeDo 2.0 Interventions and Implications for Extended Education

Educational Robotics is increasingly being integrated into regular classroom teaching and offered as part of extended education to foster 21st-century skills. Among various Educational Robotics tools, LEGO® Education WeDo and WeDo 2.0 are frequently used in school-based settings, including regular instruction and extended education programs. This systematic review examines empirical intervention studies utilizing LEGO® Education WeDo or WeDo 2.0 to identify outcome variables, categorize them into broader domains (cognitive, socio-emotional/motivational, and creativity-related), and analyse the effects of these interventions. Following PRISMA guidelines, peer-reviewed studies from the last 10 years were identified via academic databases and a search engine. Inclusion criteria focused on participants aged 5–11 (ISCED levels 0 and 1), interventions using LEGO® Education WeDo or WeDo 2.0, and quantitative research designs with pre- and post-tests or at least two comparison groups. From an initial pool of N = 193 publications, n = 20 met the inclusion criteria. Findings indicate that WeDo and WeDo 2.0 interventions positively impact cognitive (e.g., computational thinking, problem-solving), socio-emotional and motivational (e.g., intrinsic motivation, STEM attitudes, self-efficacy), and creativity-related outcomes (e.g., divergent thinking), with reported effect sizes ranging from medium to large. However, methodological limitations remain, including small sample sizes and insufficient intervention descriptions. The review highlights the value of LEGO® Education WeDo and WeDo 2.0 for fostering diverse competencies in young learners and underlines the need for more rigorous research designs characterized by greater methodological transparency and robustness.