Virginia Tech secures $500K NSF grant for robot theater AI ethics program

Virginia Tech researchers have secured a $500,000 National Science Foundation grant to expand their robot theater program, an innovative after-school initiative that teaches children robotics through performance-based learning. The funding will enable the team to integrate AI ethics education into the curriculum and develop materials for nationwide distribution, addressing the growing need for ethical technology education as human-robot interaction becomes increasingly prevalent.

What you should know: Robot theater combines creative expression with hands-on robotics education, allowing elementary school children to collaborate with robots through dance, acting, music, and art.

• The program was conceptualized in 2015 by Myounghoon “Philart” Jeon, professor of industrial and systems engineering, and has been refined over nearly a decade.
• Children participate in structured learning and free play sessions, with older students sometimes learning basic coding during exploration time.
• The approach emphasizes embodied learning through movement and play rather than traditional classroom instruction.

The big picture: The expanded program will formally integrate AI ethics education, helping children understand concepts like fairness, privacy, and bias in technology through storytelling and performance rather than abstract lessons.

• Researchers will conduct literature reviews, focus groups, and workshops with educators and children to identify gaps in current robotics and AI education.
• The curriculum will address how robots and AI systems affect people’s lives, introducing ethical considerations through hands-on experiences.

How it works: The program operates through four creative modules that blend technology education with artistic expression.

• Acting module: Children perform alongside robots, learning collaboration and ethical considerations through storytelling.
• Dance module: Students explore movement with robots while discussing privacy and data collection as robots track their movements.
• Music and sound: Participants create music with robotic assistance, understanding human-machine creative partnerships.
• Drawing module: Children use artistic expression to explore concepts about technology and its role in society.

Where it’s happening: Robot theater currently operates at three Virginia locations with plans for significant expansion.

• Eastern Montgomery Elementary School, Virginia Tech’s Child Development Center for Learning and Research, and Valley Interfaith Child Care Center host regular programs.
• In 2022, students delivered a professional-level performance about climate change awareness at Virginia Tech’s Cube during Ut Prosim Society Weekend.
• The grant will fund expansion into museums and informal learning environments with flexible formats including one-day workshops and summer sessions.

What they’re saying: Program leaders emphasize the hands-on, movement-based approach to learning complex concepts.

• “It’s not a sit-down-and-listen kind of program,” Jeon said. “Kids use gestures and movement — they dance, they act, they draw. And through that, they encounter real ethical questions about robots and AI.”
• “Students might learn about ethics relating to security and privacy during a module where they engage with a robot that tracks their movements while they dance,” Jeon explained. “From there, there can be a guided discussion about how information collected from humans is used to train AI and robots.”

Who else is involved: The research team brings together expertise in engineering, child development, and ethics education.

• Koeun Choi, associate professor of human development and family science, continues her collaboration from earlier program iterations, contributing child learning expertise.
• Qin Zhu, associate professor of engineering education, joins the team to guide the new emphasis on robot and AI ethics through her background in ethics and curriculum design.
• “Understanding students’ knowledge about AI, robots, and their literacy in these areas is a key goal,” Zhu said. “We’re also focusing on social and ethical boundaries to ensure students use these technologies responsibly now and in the future.”

Why this matters: The initiative addresses a critical gap in technology education by introducing ethical considerations to children before they become heavy technology users.

• The program targets grade school children who will grow up in a world of increasingly sophisticated human-robot interaction.
• Curriculum materials will be made openly available on GitHub and other platforms, allowing educators nationwide to adapt the program for their communities.
• “This grant lets us expand what we’ve built and make it more robust,” Jeon said. “We can refine the program based on real needs and bring it to more children in more settings.”