The Potential of Peer Robots to Assist Human Creativity in Finding Problems and Problem Solving
Sandra Y. Okita · Teachers College Record The Voice of Scholarship in Education · 2015
Many technological artifacts (e.g., humanoid robots, computer agents) consist of biologically inspired features of human-like appearance and behaviors that elicit a social response. The strong social components of technology permit people to share information and ideas with these artifacts. As robots cross the boundaries between humans and machines, the features of human interactions can be replicated to reveal new insights into the role of social relationships in learning and creativity. Peer robots can be designed to create ideal circumstances that enable new ways for students to reflect, reason, and learn. This, in turn, has increased expectations that robots and computer agents will enhance human learning and complement people's physical, social, and cognitive capabilities. This paper explores how peer-like robots and robotic systems may help students learn and engage in creative ways of thinking.