Robots are increasingly being used to teach students in the classroom for a number of subjects across science, maths and language. But our research shows that while students enjoy learning with robots, teachers are slightly uncertain about using them in the classroom.

In our study, which saw staff and students interact with the Nao humanoid robot, teachers said they had doubts about robots being integrated into the classroom. They preferred the robot to not have full autonomy and instead take on restricted roles in the classroom. Besides, they did not trust the technical capabilities of the robot and wanted the robot to function and behave as a learning “buddy” of children and not as a teacher. We think this reluctance may have happened mainly due to an uncertainty of how best to apply robots in the class, and a concern that robots may eventually replace teachers.

The students, on the other hand, were much more enthusiastic about a robot in their classroom, enjoying the human-like interaction. However, they wanted the robot to adapt its behaviour to their feelings and display a wide range of emotions and expressions. For example, some of the children felt the robot’s voice was unnatural and did not adapt to situations by changing tone or pitch. The children preferred as natural behaviours from the robot as possible, even to the extent that they were untroubled by the robot making mistakes, such as forgetting. It was clear the children were imagining the robot in the role of their teacher.

Numerous types of robots are being used in education. They range from simple robots to humanoids (robots that resemble humans). Humanoids have the ability to provide real-time feedback, and their physical shape increases engagement. This often leads to a personal connection with the student, which research shows can help solve issues related to shyness, reluctance, confidence that may happen in dealing with a human teacher. For example, a robot will not get tired no matter how many mistakes a child makes.

Humanoid robots are still away from being autonomously situated in schools due mainly to technological limitations such as inaccurate speech or emotion recognition. However, the intention of most researchers in robotics is not for robots to replace teachers. Rather, the design goals of most robots are to function as an aid in the classroom and to enhance its value as an engaging educational tool.