Abstract
A popular tactic to foster 21st-century abilities—critical thinking, teamwork, creativity, and communication—that are necessary for surviving in a technologically advanced environment is incorporating robotics and coding into school curricula. The purpose of this project is to investigate the effectiveness of robotics and coding in enhancing these abilities among Grade 9 technology students participating in electronic system activities in a South African setting.
Using a qualitative case study design, the study examines how hands-on activities, such as building robotic prototypes, promote skill development. It achieves this by conducting semi-structured interviews with educators and students, observing classrooms, and analysing student artefacts. The study employs the 4Cs framework to analyse the results and finds that robotics promotes collaboration through team-based design activities, while coding enhances critical thinking through iterative problem-solving.
Although issues such as resource limitations and gaps in teacher preparation persist, the results demonstrate notable improvements in students' ability to articulate technical concepts and devise original solutions. This dissertation adds to the conversation on technology-enhanced education by shedding light on the pedagogical possibilities and challenges of combining robotics and coding. It also provides educators and curriculum designers with useful suggestions for maximising the acquisition of 21st-century skills in technology-enhanced classrooms. The study emphasises how experiential learning can better equip students to meet the needs of society and technology in the future.