Integrating Machine Learning and Educational Robotics

The Frankie Platform for Teaching Artificial Intelligence in High School

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25749/sis.39111

Keywords:

artificial intelligence in education, neural network, educational robotics, technologies in education

Abstract

This study explores an experiment conducted at a tuition-free school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, aimed at introducing high school students to Artificial Intelligence (AI) concepts through their mathematical foundations. Eleven students participated in workshops designed to connect mathematics and AI by engaging with a Weightless Neural Network (WNN) algorithm – WiSARD. The scripted activities focused on the mathematical calculations involved in the algorithm's training and classification phases, enhancing students' understanding of machine learning (ML). The results showed that students grasped both the functioning of the WiSARD algorithm and the mathematical principles behind it. Additionally, the activities fostered reflection on ethical concerns related to AI, emphasizing developer responsibility and the importance of protecting personal data.

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Author Biographies

Charles Soares Pimentel, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Informática, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro / Graded-American School of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Design and technology educator at Graded – The American School of São Paulo and a D.Sc. candidate at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He is also a research fellow at the Transformative Learning Technologies Lab (TLTL), where he investigates the use of sensors and microcontrollers in schools through IoT applications to support data literacy. His work explores how technology can be a tool for social impact and student empowerment in K–12 education.

Fábio Ferrentini Sampaio, Escola Superior de Tecnologia, Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal, Portugal

Adjunct Professor at Polytechnic University of Setúbal – Portugal. He holds a degree in Computer Science, a Master's degree in Systems and Computer Engineering, and a Ph.D. from the University of London in the area of Science and Computer Science Education. In Brazil, he coordinated several projects in the area of Technologies in Education funded by agencies from the State of Rio de Janeiro and the Federal Government. He has published in specialized journals and books in the areas of Computer Science and Technologies, in partnership with different authors.

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Published

2025-06-30

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2025): Educational Research Themes

Section

Articles

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