October 2009 Volume 12 Number 4 - Educational Technology ...

Mitnik, R., Nussbaum, M., & Recabarren, M. (2009). Developing Cognition with Collaborative Robotic Activities. Educational
Technology & Society, 12 (4), 317–330.
Developing Cognition with Collaborative Robotic Activities
Rubén Mitnik * , Miguel Nussbaum and Matías Recabarren
Department of Computer Science, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, P.O. Box 306
Santiago 22, Chile // Fax: +56-2-6864444 // rmitnik@ing.puc.cl // mn@ing.puc.cl // mrecabarren@ing.puc.cl
*Corresponding author
ABSTRACT
Cognition, faculty related to perception, imagination, memory, and problem solving, refers to internal mental
processes through which sensorial input is acquired, elaborated, used, and stored. One of its importances relies
on the fact that it affects in a direct way the learning potential. It has been shown that, even thou cognitive
processes develop side by side with biological maturity, this cognitive development can be enhanced by means
of mediated learning as signaled by Feuerstein’s Mediated Learning theory. Based on this theory is that we
propose an intervention model that addresses school academic issues using technologically assisted small group
collaboration, pursuing a dual academic objective: to thrive students’ cognitive processes while addressing
school curriculum topics. The purpose, therefore, is to balance the students’ cognitive differences by means of
in-school content-filled classroom activities. Our aim is to make use of peer mediation in a real world setting
with a virtual construction of it. In this paper, we describe this novel intervention model along with an in-school
usage experience. For this, we present an activity designed for high school students, specifically aimed to assist
the learning of kinematics, graph interpretation, and graph plotting. In this activity the students work in groups
of three, using a robot and wirelessly interconnected Personal Digital Assistants (PDA). By means of a
controlled experiment, we show how technologically-supported peer mediation promotes the students’
enrichment of their cognitive processes in each of the different stages of the mental act (input–elaboration–
output), favoring communication skills, insight, and reasoning, while also restraining impulsive conduct and
trial-and-error answers.
Keywords
Cognition development, Robotic assisted teaching, Interactive learning environments, Face-to-face computer
supported collaborative learning, Intelligent tutoring systems
Introduction
Cognitive processes are the organizing mental structures which control the subject’s interpretation and storage of
information (Neisser, 1967). This establishes, among others, the conduct toward stimuli, affecting in a direct way the
capability of learning.
According to Piaget (1966), cognitive processes develop as a result of the interaction between stimuli and the
organism. In this perspective, where cognitive development goes side by side with biological maturity, the organism
is treated as a receptor of stimuli that, by means of these, builds up and matures its cognitive processes. Feuerstein
expands on this idea indicating that human beings are cognitively modifiable (Feuerstein, 1970; Feuerstein et. al,
1980). He proposes that the cognitive development of an individual can be enhanced by means of a mediator who
selects, organizes, and structures stimuli in order to attain a specific goal. The results of the mediation are the
acquisition, by the mediated subject, of appropriate behaviors, sets of knowledge, and operational structures which
modify his cognitive structure, thus allowing the enrichment of his cognitive processes.
The aim of peer mediation is to develop mediation teaching styles and cognitive modifiability. Peer mediation is
mainly based on Vygotsky's sociocultural and Feuerstein's mediated learning experience theories (Vigotsky,
1930/1978; Feuerstein, 1986). Experimental research has shown that peer mediation improves analogies capabilities
(Tzuriel & Shamir, 2007), thrives inventive thinking skills (Sokola et al. 2008), and increases scores in math (Shamir
et al. 2006) and Science (Cattle & Howie 2008). There is also work performed in adults, where it has been used with
organizational groups that need to be flexible enough to lead initiatives for change (Dawes, 2006).
Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment Program (FIE) (Feuerstein et al. 1979) intends to modify the cognitive
structure of disadvantaged students, or persons with special educational needs. This program, based on the Mediated
Learning Experience (MLE) theory (Feuerstein, 1986), consists of a battery of activities, tests, situations, and
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