A Study on Elementary School Students in the Middle Grades Using mBot Robot Cars Explore Local Communities in an Interdisciplinary Curriculum

In this era of emerging technological applications, fostering a sustainable society is also an integral component. Therefore, cultivating fundamental information application skills in students from an early age and integrating them with societal experiences and community life are essential. Through this process, students can experience the values of their communities and contemplate the significance of their hometowns and the spirit of sustainability. This study aims to explore the integration of mBot robot cars into interdisciplinary courses focusing on students from elementary school intermediate grades and their hometown communities. The research was conducted in two schools in Yunlin County, Taiwan, involving a total of 30 students. The students participated in a nine-week course centered around understanding their hometown communities. The curriculum combined knowledge from various subjects such as social studies, geography, and technology. Through various designed activities and tasks, students learned assembly, operation, and programming of mBot robot cars. They then explored their hometown communities, engaging in activities such as geographical and cultural design and cultural investigations. The research utilized a questionnaire survey method to collect data, analyzing students’ satisfaction with the course content, teaching methods, and learning outcomes. The results indicate that the majority of students expressed satisfaction with the course using mBot robot cars to explore their hometown communities. They believed that such a course helped deepen their understanding of their hometown communities and increased their interest in the subject, suggesting further promotion and application of similar approaches.