Abstract:

We are increasingly discussing the numerous impacts and changes that characterize and will shape the world in the future. Education will also undergo changes, and it is expected to be marked by numerous technologies and humanoid robots. Teachers will have to adapt to these new and different teaching methods and approaches that they currently do not employ. The key question is whether and how teachers are prepared for the future of education – do they have the necessary knowledge to confidently carry out educational activities?

A survey was conducted on a sample of 211 teachers from Slovenian primary and secondary schools, which showed that teachers are afraid to include humanoid robots in teaching (49.77 % of teachers), but they are still interested in how they could be included in education, as expressed by 45.50 % of teachers. The survey also showed that 56.40 % of teachers do not follow the progress in implementing humanoid robots in education, indicating an increasing gap between technological progress and its actual use in education. Therefore, we have developed a sustainable education model for incorporating robots (and technology in general) in education.

The model is based on the results of another survey (on a sample of 1027 primary and secondary school teachers in Slovenia), in which teachers expressed their opinion on the type of education and training that suits them best, considering their job duties and workload. Based on the responses, a sustainable education model for teachers was developed, which includes various forms and methods tailored to the actual desires of teachers. The model encompasses education at the level of state institutions, teacher practitioners, and commercial providers. The model is also implementable and adaptable, meaning that part of the education is conducted live, and part is conducted remotely, taking into account time constraints (in the duration of the education and the frequency of implementation). The model also precisely defines the areas of education and their proportion. Since the survey included teachers from different scientific disciplines, the model is adapted to science, social science, early age group teachers, and vocational teachers.

The model is structured around four key components: needs assessment to identify the specific needs of the students in relation to the integration of humanoid robots into the educational process; planning and design with a comprehensive plan, developed for integrating humanoid robots into the educational process; implementation and evaluation phase that will use the plan developed in the previous stage; sustainability of the model which involves a long-term strategy for maintaining the use of humanoid robots in the classroom. By following the Sustainable Education Model for Humanoid Robot Integration in Educational Process, schools can effectively integrate humanoid robots into the educational process, enhance student learning outcomes, and enable teachers to upskill and develop their competencies in the use of modern technologies.

Keywords:

Education, education and training model, educational process, humanoid robots, teacher training program.