Storytelling and educational robotics in literature education: a quasi-experimental study

Abstract Despite the growing interest in integrating educational robotics into storytelling activities, only a few empirical studies have been conducted in the field of literature education. Accordingly, the present study examines the integration of Storytelling and Educational Robotics into the teaching of Greek literature (Homer’s Odyssey), in comparison with conventional Storytelling -based instruction. The study was conducted over 16 weeks in five public secondary schools in Greece with 227 participants aged 12–13 and employed a quasi-experimental design involving an experimental group (156 students) and a control group (71 students). The experimental group received an 8-lesson storytelling-robotics course using the DuckyCode robot. The control group received the same literary content through conventional instruction. The learning outcomes for both groups were measured on three different occasions: prior to the start of the intervention (pre-test), during the intervention (intermediate test), and after the completion of the intervention (post-test). ANCOVA and repeated-measures ANOVA indicated that students in the experimental group achieved significantly better learning outcomes compared to the control group at the intermediate and post-test measurements, with a large effect size (η²ₚ = 0.256). Furthermore, it was revealed that the students in the experimental group showed statistically significant improvement in learning outcomes over time, while the control group maintained stable learning performance. Overall, the results suggest that integrating Educational Robotics into Storytelling-based literature instruction may significantly enhance students’ learning outcomes compared to conventional Storytelling instruction alone.