Embodied Learning and Educational Robotics: Empowering Young Women in Technical Education to Develop Computational Thinking for Sustainable Development, Dr Carlos Lara

Dr Carlos Lara
Instituto Tecnico Superior Especializado
Panama

Abstract: This presentation showcases an innovative approach developed within the national STEM en Rosa initiative in Panama to empower young women in technical education by developing computational thinking (CT) through embodied learning and educational robotics. As part of a quasi-experimental study, the program compared two pathways: one group used renewable energy engineering kits for hands-on modeling, while the control group worked with Scratch-programmed robotics. Both improved CT, but embodied learning achieved stronger gains in decomposition, debugging, and critical thinking—skills vital for system-level reasoning and innovation. Grounded in embodied cognition theory, the approach offers an inclusive alternative to conventional coding, addressing higher entry barriers many young women face with programming-based robotics. By engaging students in tangible problem solving before introducing code, they gain CT skills more intuitively and with greater confidence. Renewable energy kits served as a meaningful physical context, anchoring learning without the cognitive load of early coding.