The Impact of Robotics-Enhanced Approach on Students' Satisfaction in Open Learning Environment

The purpose of the paper is to investigate whether a technology-intensive open learning that promotes constructivist approach has a significant effect on the student satisfaction, cognitive load, and psychomotor difficulty of the robotics course. A technology-intensive course must address the following outcomes: demonstrate a sound understanding of several technology concepts, systems, and operations, use a variety of technologies to access, evaluate, collect, and manage data, information, and datasets, understand the impact of technology on themselves and their culture, environment, and society, and practice legal and ethical behavior in the context of technology. For this purpose, four cohorts of middle school students were recruited (n = 267). Two consecutive robotics-enhanced Summer School 2012 and Summer School 2013 were organized with experiential learning cycle followed by two consecutive performance of open learning of robotics at Technology Days, performed in 2014 and in 2015, using inquiry-based learning method in real-classroom settings. Open learning of robotics refers to minimal constraints on access, pace and method of study where direct manipulation environments are used very often to increase student success. Technology Days as compulsory part of curriculum are aimed to develop positive attitude towards technology and to advance technological literacy using mostly inductive strategies and approaches to learning. Multivariate analysis of covariance and regression analysis were performed to determine the contribution of predictor variables to students' cognitive, emotional and behavioural course outcomes as the important outcomes that influence a success of instructional intervention and the decision to continue or drop-out of a course. The results showed that composite variable of learning environment was a good predictor of student satisfaction and psychomotor easiness; learning material improves processing fluency; self-efficacy predicts satisfaction while self-regulated learning enables psychomotor easiness. Surprisingly, interactions among students and content did not significantly contribute to the predication of student satisfaction, nor to perceived course easiness. Additionally, experiential learning facilitates cognitive processing fluency, considering joint effects with variable of sex seemed to have influence on student satisfaction. The results of the study suggest to influence students' motivation and goals by adapting instruction accordingly.