Tech Log inEmailPassword Remember meYour login is case sensitive
I have forgotten my password
Register nowActivate my subscriptionInstitutional loginAthens logincloseMy New ScientistHomeNewsIn-Depth ArticlesBlogsOpinionTVGalleriesTopic GuidesLast WordSubscribeDatingLook for Science JobsSPACETECHENVIRONMENTHEALTHLIFEPHYSICS&MATHSCIENCE IN SOCIETYCookies & PrivacyHome|Tech|News
Unsure robots make better teachers than know-alls08 September 2012 byDouglas HeavenMagazine issue 2881. Subscribe and saveFor similar stories, visit theRobotsTopic Guide THE best way to learn is to teach. That old maxim has been put to the test by a classroom robot that helps Japanese children learn English. Shizuko Matsuzoe and Fumihide Tanaka at the University of Tsukuba, Japan, observed 19 children aged between 4 and 8 interacting with a humanoid robot. The children took part in a learning game in which they had to draw the shape corresponding to English words such as "circle", "square", "crescent" and "heart". From a room next to the classroom, the researchers operated a French-built Nao robot so that it appeared weak and feeble, and encouraged the children to take on the role of carers. The robot also either behaved as an instructor, drawing the correct shape for the child, or made mistakes and acted as if it didn't know the answer. When the robot got a shape wrong, the child could "teach" the robot how to draw it by guiding its hand. The robot then either "learned" the English word for that shape or continued to make errors. Matsuzoe and Tanaka found that the children did best when the robot appeared to learn from them. This also made the children more likely to want to continue learning with the robot. They will present their results at the Ro-Man conference in Paris this month.
New ScientistNot just a website!Subscribe to New Scientist and get:New Scientist magazine delivered every weekUnlimited online access to articles from over 500 back issuesSubscribe Now and Save
If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.Have your sayOnly subscribers may leave comments on this article. Please log in.
email:password:Remember meOnly personal subscribers may leave comments on this article
Subscribe now to comment.
All comments should respect the New Scientist House Rules. If you think a particular comment breaks these rules then please use the "Report" link in that comment to report it to us.
If you are having a technical problem posting a comment, please contact technical support.
ADVERTISEMENTMoreLatest newsFBI launches $1 billion face recognition project
10:12 07 September 2012The Next Generation Identification programme will include a nationwide database of criminal faces and other biometrics
Up, up and away: Chimeric bicycles take to the skies
10:03 07 September 2012Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's the start of a new extreme sport – pedal-powered flying
AI cyber-fighter: does it feel human, punk?
11:21 06 September 2012A software bot designed to act human by mimicking consciousness is poised to go into battle in the Unreal Tournament arena
Tough, super-stretchy gel could make better implants
10:30 06 September 2012A new water-based gel is one of the stretchiest materials yet made, and it is durable enough to offer hope for better medical implants
see all related stories
MoreLatest newsNot so moist Mars: Clays may come from lava, not lakes
18:00 09 September 2012Some ancient clays on the Red Planet are a better match to volcanic flows than water-crafted minerals – hurting the likelihood of conditions for early life
Muscles that do nothing can keep you warm and thin
18:00 09 September 2012Muscles can burn energy without contracting, thanks to sarcolipins – proteins that could shed light on the body's thermostat and how we shed excess fat
A genetic blueprint of your unborn baby
10:00 08 September 2012Sequencing the whole genome of a fetus could provide a medical early warning on a previously unknown scale - but it also brings dilemmas, says Harriet A. Washington
Catcher of elusive neutrinos takes shape at Fermilab18:26 07 September 2012Huge plastic blocks were being set in place this week to help catch some of the most elusive, mysterious particles known
see all latest news
Most readMost commented FBI launches $1 billion face recognition project Space-time ripples record black hole crashes Evolution could explain the placebo effect 13 things that do not make sense Acupuncture treatment is not as safe as advertised Most readMost commented Destroying the powerful and destructive race construct If 2013 breaks heat record, how will deniers respond? Hail Jeremy Hunt, the new minister for magic Up, up and away: Chimeric bicycles take to the skies Food for thought: Eat your way to dementia TWITTERNew Scientist is on Twitter
Get the latest from New Scientist: sign up to our Twitter feed
LATEST JOBS SRG: Clinical Project Physician - Switzerland Paramount Recruitment: C# Software Engineer / Software Developer - .NET Paramount Recruitment: Editorial Manager - Agency with Fantastic Working Environment MedImmune: Scientist II - Virology (MSAT) SEC Recruitment: CRA-SCRA This week's issueSubscribe
For exclusive news and expert analysis, subscribe to New Scientist.
Gain full online accessCurrent issue contentContent of past issues08 September 2012ADVERTISEMENTBack to topLoginEmailPassword Remember meYour login is case sensitive
I have forgotten my password
Register nowActivate my subscriptionInstitutional loginAthens logincloseAbout usNew ScientistSyndicationRecruitment AdvertisingStaff at New ScientistAdvertiseRBI JobsUser HelpContact UsFAQ / HelpDisclaimerTs & CsCookiesPrivacy PolicySubscriptionsSubscribeRenewGift subscriptionMy accountBack issuesCustomer ServiceLinksSite MapBrowse all articlesMagazine archiveNewScientistJobsThe LastWordRSS FeedsOnline StoreAndroid AppMobile site homeScience JobsBiology JobsChemistry JobsClinical JobsSales JobsEarth & Environment JobsEngineering JobsMaths & IT JobsGraduate Jobs© Copyright Reed Business Information Ltd.
No comments:
Post a Comment