Characterising computational and geometric thinking in pre-service Early Childhood Education teachers by playing with MatataLab

This article aims to characterise geometric and computational thinking of future Early Childhood Education teachers through participating in a robotic problem-solving activity for 5-year-old pupils using MatataBot, MatataLab’s educational robot. The study, carried out during academic year 2022–2023,...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Sala Sebastià, Gemma, Breda, Adriana, Font Moll, Vicenç
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/226548
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/226548
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Geometria computacional
Pràctiques pedagògiques
Robòtica
Formació del professorat
Educació infantil
Computational geometry
Student teaching
Robotics
Teacher training
Preschool education
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spelling Characterising computational and geometric thinking in pre-service Early Childhood Education teachers by playing with MatataLabSala Sebastià, GemmaBreda, AdrianaFont Moll, VicençGeometria computacionalPràctiques pedagògiquesRobòticaFormació del professoratEducació infantilComputational geometryStudent teachingRoboticsTeacher trainingPreschool educationThis article aims to characterise geometric and computational thinking of future Early Childhood Education teachers through participating in a robotic problem-solving activity for 5-year-old pupils using MatataBot, MatataLab’s educational robot. The study, carried out during academic year 2022–2023, involved 42 early childhood education students from a Spanish university. The methodology was divided into three phases: in the first, the participants familiarised themselves with the robot; in the second, they programmed the robot to represent basic geometric figures; and in the third, they reflected on their learning and on the geometric aspects identified. The data obtained in the last two phases (gathered from observations and videos recorded by the authors during the implementation, from the reports the different groups of students presented, and from the videos they recorded of the development of their activities) were analysed qualitatively using the Didactic-Mathematical Knowledge model from the Onto-semiotic Approach and the categories of common errors in programming. Pre-service teachers demonstrated conceptual gaps in geometric properties, leading to errors in programming representations. It is concluded that, although educational robots can enhance the understanding of geometry, it is essential to address the previous knowledge of teachers and prepare them in both mathematical knowledge and in the use of technological tools, fostering comprehensive training that enables the improvement of teaching in Early Childhood Education.Springer2025info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2445/226548Articles publicats en revistes (Educació Lingüística, Científica i Matemàtica)reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UBinstname:Universidad de BarcelonaInglésReproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13589-3Education And Information Technologies, 2025, vol. 30, p. 21079-21103https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13589-3cc by (c) Sala Sebastià, Gemma et al., 2025https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/2265482026-05-27T06:46:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Characterising computational and geometric thinking in pre-service Early Childhood Education teachers by playing with MatataLab
title Characterising computational and geometric thinking in pre-service Early Childhood Education teachers by playing with MatataLab
spellingShingle Characterising computational and geometric thinking in pre-service Early Childhood Education teachers by playing with MatataLab
Sala Sebastià, Gemma
Geometria computacional
Pràctiques pedagògiques
Robòtica
Formació del professorat
Educació infantil
Computational geometry
Student teaching
Robotics
Teacher training
Preschool education
title_short Characterising computational and geometric thinking in pre-service Early Childhood Education teachers by playing with MatataLab
title_full Characterising computational and geometric thinking in pre-service Early Childhood Education teachers by playing with MatataLab
title_fullStr Characterising computational and geometric thinking in pre-service Early Childhood Education teachers by playing with MatataLab
title_full_unstemmed Characterising computational and geometric thinking in pre-service Early Childhood Education teachers by playing with MatataLab
title_sort Characterising computational and geometric thinking in pre-service Early Childhood Education teachers by playing with MatataLab
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Sala Sebastià, Gemma
Breda, Adriana
Font Moll, Vicenç
author Sala Sebastià, Gemma
author_facet Sala Sebastià, Gemma
Breda, Adriana
Font Moll, Vicenç
author_role author
author2 Breda, Adriana
Font Moll, Vicenç
author2_role author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Geometria computacional
Pràctiques pedagògiques
Robòtica
Formació del professorat
Educació infantil
Computational geometry
Student teaching
Robotics
Teacher training
Preschool education
topic Geometria computacional
Pràctiques pedagògiques
Robòtica
Formació del professorat
Educació infantil
Computational geometry
Student teaching
Robotics
Teacher training
Preschool education
description This article aims to characterise geometric and computational thinking of future Early Childhood Education teachers through participating in a robotic problem-solving activity for 5-year-old pupils using MatataBot, MatataLab’s educational robot. The study, carried out during academic year 2022–2023, involved 42 early childhood education students from a Spanish university. The methodology was divided into three phases: in the first, the participants familiarised themselves with the robot; in the second, they programmed the robot to represent basic geometric figures; and in the third, they reflected on their learning and on the geometric aspects identified. The data obtained in the last two phases (gathered from observations and videos recorded by the authors during the implementation, from the reports the different groups of students presented, and from the videos they recorded of the development of their activities) were analysed qualitatively using the Didactic-Mathematical Knowledge model from the Onto-semiotic Approach and the categories of common errors in programming. Pre-service teachers demonstrated conceptual gaps in geometric properties, leading to errors in programming representations. It is concluded that, although educational robots can enhance the understanding of geometry, it is essential to address the previous knowledge of teachers and prepare them in both mathematical knowledge and in the use of technological tools, fostering comprehensive training that enables the improvement of teaching in Early Childhood Education.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/2445/226548
url https://hdl.handle.net/2445/226548
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Reproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13589-3
Education And Information Technologies, 2025, vol. 30, p. 21079-21103
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13589-3
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv cc by (c) Sala Sebastià, Gemma et al., 2025
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv cc by (c) Sala Sebastià, Gemma et al., 2025
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Articles publicats en revistes (Educació Lingüística, Científica i Matemàtica)
reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
instname:Universidad de Barcelona
instname_str Universidad de Barcelona
reponame_str Dipòsit Digital de la UB
collection Dipòsit Digital de la UB
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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