Publisher
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Place of Publication
Chattanooga (Tenn.)
Abstract
This project focused on work with the Ozobot (Ozo EDU, Inc., 2025) Evo robot, which is programmable through block-coding and color-coding. Ozobots have been consistently proven to enhance student learning. Improvements in student motivation, engagement, collaboration skills, and computational thinking have all resulted from the implementation of Ozobots (Eure, 2023). A study by Powers et al. (2025) supports a co-design approach through the use of interdisciplinary teams to advance STEAM integration into the classroom. However, the students’ knowledge on robot concepts (coding, programming, and building) through the use of Ozobots was mixed, with a wider range of reported perceived knowledge. During the summer of 2025, teachers participated in three, 6-hour sessions to learn how to integrate Evo into their classroom activities. Training activities included work with learning programming structures and how to use Evo in the block-coding and color-coding (with markers and magnetic tiles) formats. Each teacher self-evaluated knowledge and skills, before and after the 3-day workshop. Nine teachers provided paired survey data for the self-efficacy scale (Tsai et al., 2019) and responded to open-ended questions. The goal was to provide high-quality, teacher professional development to increase knowledge and instructional skills for integrating robotics into the elementary, middle, and secondary grades classroom. Measurable objectives included the following: 1. There will be a statistically significant increase in teachers’ scores on a 16-item, computer programming self-efficacy survey, between administrations of the instrument. 2. There will be a statistically significant increase in teachers’ scores on the five sub-scales of the computer programming self-efficacy survey, between administrations of the instrument. 3. Responses to open-ended questions will be analyzed for trends. Results showed a significant increase in computer programming self-efficacy and significant increases in all five sub-scale scores. In a fall 2025 follow-up session, eight teachers completed Evo activities with a set of engineering task cards and provided qualitative data regarding use and modifications for the classroom.
References Eure, K. D. (2023). Using Ozobots to learn character traits (Publication No. 30485066) [Doctoral dissertation, Old Dominion University]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2828389634?sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses Ozo EDU, Inc. (2025). Create the future. https://ozobot.com/ Powers, J., Brown, S., Musgrove, A., Brown, D., O’Sullivan, J., & Wuest, L. (2025). From collaboration to creativity: Integrating educational robots into a STEAM and science through art curriculum. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 33(4), 691–719. https://doi.org/10.70725/987421ipeqms Tsai, M.-J., Wang, C.-Y., & Hsu, P.-F. (2019). Developing the computer programming self-efficacy scale for computer literacy education. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 56(8), 1345-1360.
Document Type
posters
Language
English
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Recommended Citation
McAllister, Deborah A.; Lynberg, Jennifer R.; Sorrells, Anna Grace L.; and Behrman, Taylor L., "Assessing the programming self-efficacy of teachers through professional development using the Ozobot Evo robot". ReSEARCH Dialogues Conference proceedings. https://scholar.utc.edu/research-dialogues/2026/presentations/12.
Assessing the programming self-efficacy of teachers through professional development using the Ozobot Evo robot
This project focused on work with the Ozobot (Ozo EDU, Inc., 2025) Evo robot, which is programmable through block-coding and color-coding. Ozobots have been consistently proven to enhance student learning. Improvements in student motivation, engagement, collaboration skills, and computational thinking have all resulted from the implementation of Ozobots (Eure, 2023). A study by Powers et al. (2025) supports a co-design approach through the use of interdisciplinary teams to advance STEAM integration into the classroom. However, the students’ knowledge on robot concepts (coding, programming, and building) through the use of Ozobots was mixed, with a wider range of reported perceived knowledge. During the summer of 2025, teachers participated in three, 6-hour sessions to learn how to integrate Evo into their classroom activities. Training activities included work with learning programming structures and how to use Evo in the block-coding and color-coding (with markers and magnetic tiles) formats. Each teacher self-evaluated knowledge and skills, before and after the 3-day workshop. Nine teachers provided paired survey data for the self-efficacy scale (Tsai et al., 2019) and responded to open-ended questions. The goal was to provide high-quality, teacher professional development to increase knowledge and instructional skills for integrating robotics into the elementary, middle, and secondary grades classroom. Measurable objectives included the following: 1. There will be a statistically significant increase in teachers’ scores on a 16-item, computer programming self-efficacy survey, between administrations of the instrument. 2. There will be a statistically significant increase in teachers’ scores on the five sub-scales of the computer programming self-efficacy survey, between administrations of the instrument. 3. Responses to open-ended questions will be analyzed for trends. Results showed a significant increase in computer programming self-efficacy and significant increases in all five sub-scale scores. In a fall 2025 follow-up session, eight teachers completed Evo activities with a set of engineering task cards and provided qualitative data regarding use and modifications for the classroom.
References Eure, K. D. (2023). Using Ozobots to learn character traits (Publication No. 30485066) [Doctoral dissertation, Old Dominion University]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2828389634?sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses Ozo EDU, Inc. (2025). Create the future. https://ozobot.com/ Powers, J., Brown, S., Musgrove, A., Brown, D., O’Sullivan, J., & Wuest, L. (2025). From collaboration to creativity: Integrating educational robots into a STEAM and science through art curriculum. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 33(4), 691–719. https://doi.org/10.70725/987421ipeqms Tsai, M.-J., Wang, C.-Y., & Hsu, P.-F. (2019). Developing the computer programming self-efficacy scale for computer literacy education. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 56(8), 1345-1360.