The Integration of Sustainable Development Goals in Educational Robotics: A Teacher Education Experience

Despoina Schina, Vanessa Esteve-González, Mireia Usart, José-Luis Lázaro-Cantabrana and Mercè Gisbert
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Despoina Schina: Department of Pedagogy, Applied Research in Education and Technology (ARGET), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43003 Tarragona, Spain
Vanessa Esteve-González: Department of Pedagogy, Applied Research in Education and Technology (ARGET), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43003 Tarragona, Spain
Mireia Usart: Department of Pedagogy, Applied Research in Education and Technology (ARGET), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43003 Tarragona, Spain
José-Luis Lázaro-Cantabrana: Department of Pedagogy, Applied Research in Education and Technology (ARGET), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43003 Tarragona, Spain
Mercè Gisbert: Department of Pedagogy, Applied Research in Education and Technology (ARGET), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43003 Tarragona, Spain

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 23, 1-15

Abstract: Education is of key importance to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs), particularly now that the COVID-19 pandemic threatens the progress made toward a more inclusive, peaceful, fair, and prosperous society. In this research study, students of the bachelor’s degree in Pedagogy receive a specialized training that addresses the SDGs through Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) referring to computers and digital technologies. In particular, the training addresses the SDGs through Educational Robotics (ER). The aim of the training course is twofold: first, to reinforce the students’ Teacher Digital Competence (TDC), defined as teachers’ ICT competence and didactic and methodological skills; and second, to train them in the integration of SDGs in ER educational projects. This paper presents a case study in which qualitative and quantitative methods are implemented. The objectives of the study are to investigate the students’ level of TDC and examine their ability to integrate SDGs in ER projects. The research instruments employed are the COMDID-A questionnaire, a lesson plan template, and a lesson plan evaluation rubric. Among the most prominent findings, it is shown that the training enabled the students to work on sustainability in a cross-curricular manner and successfully develop ER projects centered on different SDGs. These conclusions will encourage teacher education institutions to integrate SDGs in their curriculum.

Keywords: teacher digital competence; teacher education; higher education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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