Teacher's Kit: Development, Usability, and Communities of Modular Robotic Kits for Classroom Education

Robotics is becoming a mainstream phenomenon, entering all areas of our lives. In addition to cutting-edge research and development, robotics is becoming equally important in the classroom and home education. Numerous educational kits have appeared on the market recently, ranging from simple toolboxes and toys to complex, configurable R&D sets. Their value in formal teaching lies in modularity and the applicability of the associated curriculum. Some kits have already attracted major crowds of users, forming strong communities. The aim of this article is to review the currently available educational robotics kits along with their possible usability in formal education, focusing the analysis on system capabilities, modularity, and teaching materials available. The summary of these teaching aids should ease the decisions of robotics experts and instructors when choosing their tools for teaching and demonstration.