Abstract:

Emerging technologies such as social robots and interactive agents are opening new possibilities for designing engaging learning environments that foster communication, collaboration and digital inclusion across generations. In educational and community contexts, playful interactions with socially assistive technologies can support meaningful learning experiences while helping reduce technological barriers between age groups.

This paper presents preliminary educational experiences developed within the coordinated research project PLEISAR (Playful Experiences with Interactive Social Agents and Robots), a national initiative involving several Spanish universities. The project aims to investigate how playful interactions with social robots and virtual agents can promote social learning, intergenerational communication and positive attitudes toward technology among diverse user groups, including children, young adults and older adults.

The project combines technological development with educational experimentation. Several research teams contribute complementary perspectives, including human–agent interaction design, multimodal emotional sensing, social communication and the development of frameworks for socially interactive agents. These components support the design of playful learning scenarios where robots and interactive agents act as mediators of social interaction and collaborative activities.

As part of the ongoing work, different pilot experiences have been implemented in educational and community settings. These include workshops with primary school students, intergenerational activities involving families, evaluation sessions with young adults, and awareness sessions on social robotics for older adult learners. The activities explore how playful interactions with robots can stimulate curiosity, support dialogue between generations and encourage reflection on emerging technologies.

Preliminary observations indicate strong engagement among participants and suggest that social robots can function as effective catalysts for collaborative and intergenerational learning experiences. The results provide initial insights for the design of educational activities that integrate social robotics into inclusive and socially meaningful learning environments.

Keywords:

Social robotics, playful learning, intergenerational learning, educational technology, human–agent interaction.