A relation between young children´s computer utilization and their use of education robots

This study sought to examine the relevancy of computer utilization by young children to their use of robots. To that end, in July 2009, a survey was conducted targeting 36 parents and 2 teachers of 3- and 5-year-old children at G Kindergarten located in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, which uses education robots for young children. Questionnaire-based surveys on young children´s computer utilization were performed, which targeted their parents, and surveys of young children´s use of robot in kindergarten were based on teachers´ evaluation. The results concluded that age and gender did not affect the young children´s use of robots (utilization frequency and utilization capability), and that there was no relevancy of young children´s computer utilization capability (use or nonuse, time of use, main functions used, and utilization capability) affect their use of robots (utilization frequency and utilization capability). In conclusion, we can say that young children used robots regardless of their age or gender, and that their computer habits (although computers have similar characteristics as robots).