Robot and AI technologies have great potential in STEM education because they can increase children’s engagement in learning and curiosity. However, addressing the ethical use of robots and AI in education is vital to helping young learners understand how to coexist with these advanced technologies while motivating them to pursue STEAM-related career paths.  

To overcome these challenges, the Robot Theater project aims to create an informal learning experience in an after-school program focused on robot and AI ethics using the robot theater platform.  The project partners with the Center for Educational Networks and Impacts (CENI) at Virginia Tech, the Montgomery County superintendent, the Boys and Girls Afterschool Program in West Virginia, local elementary schools, and the Science Museum of Western Virginia (SMWV) to support socially constructed, informal STEM learning for a wide range of visitors, including young children and their family members across different schools.  

The project is funded by the United States National Science Foundation (NSF).