2-5-APPLICATION OF FLOOR ROBOTS IN A SPECIAL EDUCATION INSTI-TUTION

APPLICATION OF FLOOR ROBOTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

 

Lídia Noémi Csányiné*

 

Móra Ferenc Kindergarten, Primary School, School for Developmental Education, EGYMI, Hungary
*Correspondence: csanyineglidia@gmail.com 

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Abstract 

This paper explores the introduction of robotics and coding into digital culture lessons in a Hungarian special education institution serving students with diverse special educational needs. As automation and smart technologies increasingly shape everyday life and future workplaces, schools must equip learners with transferable knowledge and adaptive skills. The study focuses on students with learning disabilities, whose cognitive, attention, and memory challenges often hinder traditional learning approaches. Although the national curriculum emphasizes digital competencies, robotics is not explicitly included. Based on classroom experience, the author integrates floor robots (e.g., Bee-Bot, Blue-Bot) to support algorithmic thinking through structured, scaffolded activities aligned with progressive developmental levels. Robot-based tasks enhance motivation and support decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and step-by-step problem solving. Observations indicate improvements in spatial orientation, attention, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. The findings suggest that robotics offers an effective, engaging alternative to abstract programming tools and supports the development of essential 21st-century competencies in special education contexts.

 

Keywords:  robotics education; special education; algorithmic thinking; digital culture curriculum; 21st-century skills