Different technologies may well become valuable tools for combating global childhood illiteracy. But how should cost-effective technologies be made available to help solve the digital divide and reading difficulties of kids worldwide? Schafer et al. propose a robot-rooted setting for overcoming reading illiteracy in technologically advanced countries in the world.

The authors hypothesize that a physical robot-entrenched setting equipped with digital, illustrative, and reminiscent books can help overcome illiteracy. They designed and applied a system called the LIT ROOM (LR) to investigate this conjecture. The prototype LR system consists of a ceiling that can be recomposed; a portable frame of robotic components to facilitate reading aloud; robotic mechanisms mounted on the walls and ceiling for vital lighting; sound and activated panels for transmuting the environment; and a touchscreen tablet with a graphical user interface (GUI) for designing and triggering read-aloud activities.

The pilot LR system was empirically evaluated to detect technical design faults such as time lag between the panel and motor activation, and educational learning impediments like insufficient lighting for reading activities. Moreover, librarians and second-grade students were involved as co-designers of the LR system, to identify preferences for the appropriate set-up and roles of the user interface, multimedia, and the desirable scenes for pictographic books. To test the research hypothesis, the authors used results from pilot studies to implement a fully operational LR system at a large public library.

Experimental results from the practical use of the actual superstructure LR system reveal that some children related their personal experiences when reading, while other children observed, explained, or made forecasts about lifelike texts. In the LR system, children used perceptive skills and personified progressions to foster premature literacy skills. Clearly, words truly turned out to be worlds in the LR system.

The authors present an archetype methodology for the design and evaluation of future systems for solving childhood illiteracy around the world. Unfortunately, many rural areas do not have adequate technologies to support the LR system. Pedagogical pioneers of technology should read this insightful paper and make recommendations for an all-inclusive LR system.