Inclusive Science Education and Robotics

This book brings together contributions proposing studies and experiences which investigate the relationship between inclusive education and educational robotics, with particular reference to children and people with disabilities, with special educational needs or at risk of school dropping out. All these contributions were presented during the National Conference IBR21 - Interazione Bambini-Robot, held on 13 and 14 April 2021, in the second session dedicated to robotics and communities in condition of vulnerability.
Robotics is increasingly being used for different age groups and within different school levels, for educational, didactic, therapeutic and entertainment purposes. In both formal and non-formal learning contexts, robotic construction and programming activities aimed at refi ning cognitive and social skills are increasingly carried out. Robots are now part of the so-called "edutainment" world and the opportunities for children to come into contact and interact with robotic devices are multiplying.
Considering these issues, the book fi ts into the framework of the SwafS Horizon 2020 Project "Communities for Sciences (C4S) - Towards promoting an inclusive approach in Science Education", which sponsored the Conference IBR21.

Luisa Zecca is Full Professor at the University of Milano-Bicocca, "Riccardo Massa" Department of Human Sciences for Education. Her research interests concern didactic strategies in the teachinglearning process, socio-cultural inclusion and teacher education. She is the scientifi c director of the H2020 C4S project (Communities for Sciences) Italian Hub and co-director of School and Democratic Citizenship Laboratory, University of Milano Bicocca.

Edoardo Datteri is Full Professor at the University of Milano-Bicocca, "Riccardo Massa" Department of Human Sciences for Education. His research interests concern methodological foundations of biorobotics, Artifi cial Intelligence and cognitive science. He is Associate Editor of "Frontiers in Psychology" and co-founder and director of the RobotiCSS Lab - Laboratory of Robotics for the Cognitive and Social Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca.