Systematic Review: Young Learners’ Perception and Attitude toward Hands-On Activities for Learning STEM Education by Intervention of Educational Robotics

Abstract

STEM-focused education prepares elementary and secondary school students for 21^st-century skills. Students can enhance their creativity and problem-solving skills by participating in Hands-on activities, using robots to teach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and mathematics) in the classroom fosters interest and increases understanding of this multidisciplinary field. Previous studies have shown that Educational Robotics (ER) is an effective tool for understanding STEM concepts. However, it is important to examine how robotics activities are encouraged in formal and informal school settings. This study aims to investigate “What are the students’ perceptions and attitudes toward hands-on activities with the intervention of Educational Robotics (ER)?”. We conducted a systematic review, by using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) methodology and analyzed the 11 experimental most relevant articles for elementary and secondary school students’ perceptions, and learning experiences with hands-on activities by the intervention of robots. The study demonstrates students’ attitudes toward learning change positively through hands-on activities. The findings suggest that further research is necessary to achieve more definitive results paper provides a discussion on China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its potential contribution for the augmentation of regional connectivity between Pakistan and Central Asian Republics (CARs). CPEC is the main project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) between China and Pakistan, comprising of industrial zones, pipest lines, energy, rail, and road segments for the trade of goods and energy from western Kashgar and running along the Lenart Highway through western Pakistan to Gwadar in the Arabian Sea. The corridor could link landlocked Central Asian countries to warmer water ports and better connections to South Asia, Middle East, as well as Africa. The study is qualitative and secondary source-based, policy report and official statements-based, and deals with strategic and economic and geopolitical relevance of CPEC. It believes that investment in transport infrastructure, customs harmonization, trade facilitation and development of energy cooperation can boost Pakistan – Central Asia connectivity. But political volatility, security concerns, poor infrastructure, among other regulatory constraints and regional rivalries are still major hurdles. The paper argues that CPEC has potential of helping to drive already going pan-Eurasian integration by means of continuous investment, institutional transformation and multilateral diplomacy.