Kaibot is a small coding robot created by New Zealand-based Kai's Education as a way to teach programming. Essentially, it was designed to work without a screen and as an immersive app.
Designed specifically for education, this small robot is easy to use and interact with. So students from preschool through third grade can begin to get familiar with coding in a way that has physical, real-world results.
The inclusion of an app, called Kainundrum, allows coding to be taken to a more advanced and complex level in a virtual environment. All of this makes for a smooth and easy-to-understand transition that allows younger learners to understand and enjoy coding.
This guide aims to explain everything you need to know about Kaibot to see how it could work in your classroom.
What is Kaibot?
Strange It is an educational coding robot that works with directional cards intended to teach children how coding works.
If this reminds you of block-based programming, you're on the right track, as that's exactly what this card-based track building does. Students can place cards and the robot will follow the instructions to move as expected. The idea is that kids can program and see real results from a robot following their commands.
By expanding the scope with the Kainundrum app, a seamless transition from the physical world to the more complex virtual coding worlds is achieved. Students can stay connected to a physical understanding while adding layers to their coding skills and opening their minds to the possibilities.
How does Kaibot work?
Kaibot works without a screen using a set of coding cards specifically designed by computer science-savvy teachers. These use magnets to hold in place, creating a track for the robot to navigate. Helpfully, they are also available in Braille versions for those who struggle to read standard print versions. A companion app feature is available, designed to work with visually impaired people to provide a complete experience.
If you use the Kainundrum app, the possibilities will expand. The robot will still move in the real world, except the code is set virtually. This can be done by using mirrors, lasers, doors and other obstacles to create and navigate virtual mazes, solve puzzles, escape rooms, play hide and seek and more.
Students can lay out the coding cards before tapping the Kaibot to get it going. The app provides feedback, so if a card is missing (for example, a completion card), the app can flag an alert and make a suggestion of what it might have expected at that time. All of this creates a very accessible scenario where students can work without teachers and even problem solve along the way.
What are Kaibot's best features?
Kaibot is easy to use, with self-explanatory cards and screen-free features, but it also adds complexity with the Kainundrum app. This amounts to a useful coding tool that can work across a range of ages and, crucially, engages even those who might otherwise struggle to stay focused in a digital-only learning scenario.
Coding cards vary in their levels, allowing teachers to structure learning by making more complex cards available to students as they progress through each stage of the learning process. Useful cards, such as loops, if/then, comparison operators, conditional statements, and more, create rich layers of learning that students can move through.
The app uses the Blocky coding system, but can also be toggled to display Python coding, making it a fantastic way to move on to more complex levels of real-world coding skills. At more advanced levels, students can code directly using Python and Swift to learn real-world coding skills with direct physical responses from the robot as a STEAM learning reward.
For teachers, there are many resources available, including lesson plans, community projects, videos, and manuals, all on the company's website.
How much does Kaibot cost?
Kaibot comes in several variants with different price ranges, but in each case it includes the robot itself and a deck of coding cards. The website offers specific discounts for educators, which are worth keeping in mind when purchasing, but the prices listed are there too.
He Introductory package offers a Kaibot and 10 KaiTiles for $190.
He Classroom Pack 5 offers five Kaibots, three charging bases, three advanced coding cards, 30 KaiTiles and an electronic resource book for $1,070.84.
There are many other options available between and above those amounts, but that gives you an idea of the prices in between ranges.
The best Kaibot tips and tricks
Group
Whether to distribute the robots around the classroom or to help with initial assimilation, work in groups so that students can help each other spot errors and progress comfortably.
Going virtual from the start
Show students the app and how it can offer more complex fun, so they can work toward that as a goal when initially learning and working with the cards.
Code competition
Hold contests to create games that the class can play, and pay attention to the most original ideas for being creative and practical.
