HANDS-ON, MINDS-ON: EMERGING PRACTICES IN CLASSROOM ROBOTICS EDUCATION

This chapter explores new, innovative ways for teaching robotics in African classrooms, highlighting the increasing significance of robotics education in the continent's quest for inclusive and future-oriented learning. This chapter, rooted in constructivist and constructionist learning theories and guided by STEM/STEAM education frameworks, analyses how robotics enhances critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills in learners. It delineates the global growth of educational robotics and its development in Africa, emphasising the transition from theoretical instruction to practical, project-based learning. Prominent platforms, including LEGO® MINDSTORMS, Arduino, VEX, and mBot, are examined in conjunction with innovative pedagogical approaches such as inquiry-based learning, design thinking, gamification, and interdisciplinary integration. Real-life case studies from African contexts offer insights on effective classroom implementations, student engagement, and pedagogical facilitation approaches. The chapter also discusses problems, including inadequate access to Robotics kits, financial limitations, deficiencies in teacher training, and questions of inclusivity, especially around gender. Future directions are examined, encompassing the use of AI, AR/VR, and IoT to enhance robotics education and equip students for Industry 4.0 and 5.0. Suggestions are provided for educators, school administrators, and policymakers to foster a culture of robotics-driven innovation that enables African students to excel in a progressively digital environment.