Exploring the effectiveness of an AI-robot-supported task-based learning approach on children’s mastery motivation in preschool health education

Physical robots could enable embodied interaction, contributing to more immersive learning environments. Embodied interactions help promote emotional connection, sustain attention, and support learning outcomes. Although many studies highlight the benefits of robots in education, their role in early childhood education (ECE) for children aged 3–8 remains largely unexplored. As children enjoy engaging with robots and often perceive them as learning companions, the use of AI robots may bring a new perspective for ECE. To maximize effectiveness, task-based learning was integrated with AI robots, encouraging children to acquire knowledge and skills by solving problems in authentic contexts. Therefore, this study proposed AI-robot-supported task-based learning in the context of preschool health education. To examine the effectiveness of this method, a quasi-experimental design was conducted with 42 Chinese children aged 5–6. Findings revealed that children in the AI-robot group demonstrated significantly higher levels of persistence and problem-solving abilities and greater emotional response. Moreover, they exhibited more active learning behaviors, suggesting that AI robots hold strong potential for fostering more effective and engaging preschool health education environments.