Recently, a large number of smart speakers have emerged on the market, and the criticism that follows has also been endless. People can't bear the abuse of the word robot. It is no exaggeration to say that more than half of the products on the market that call themselves XX robots are following the trend.
Where did this gust of wind come from? Maybe "Made in China 2025", maybe the development of artificial intelligence, or maybe all kinds of big events made by AlphaGO.
What we don't know is that, in addition to various algorithm companies, big data companies, and counterfeit products, there are also a large number of robot educational institutions.
The robot education institutions here do not refer to those early education robots, or the legendary AI + education, but an education method that stimulates students' interest in learning and cultivates students' general capabilities by assembling, building, and running robots.
The most typical example is the one shown in the picture, which electrifies the Lego building blocks and makes them move.
Although it looks like a toy, this industry has entered all primary and secondary schools in China's first-tier cities. According to data released by the China Robot Education Alliance in 2016, there are already about 7,600 robot education institutions in the country, an increase of nearly 15 times in the past five years. It is expected that by the end of 2016, the national robot education institutions will exceed 10,000, with a market size of about 100-20 billion, and the future space will reach 30 billion.
This year, that number will only increase.
With the Outline of the National Medium- and Long-term Education Reform and Development Plan (2010-2020) taking the word innovation as the highlight, robot education began to gradually enter primary and secondary schools and children's palaces. At the same time, the "General Competition Rules for China's Quality Sports Robots" was officially promulgated, and various robot competitions were endorsed by regulations and began to enter the room.
As for the domestic factions, most of them are dividing the blank market left by the above two. It is not an exaggeration to say that the fish and dragons are mixed. Some even just bought a few sets of teaching aids and began to attract students.
The market is so hot that it is more or less confirmed that robot education has certain benefits for young people. In the recently very popular STEAM education, learning cutting-edge technology, cultivating innovation ability, cooperation ability, cross-disciplinary comprehensive education, etc. are all well reflected in robot education.
But in addition to education itself, robot education is more utilitarian.
On the one hand, exam-oriented education promotes market development.
With the word innovation on the agenda, robot education has not only entered the campus, but also entered the college entrance examination bonus system. Especially recently, the Ministry of Education issued new regulations to adjust the registration conditions for independent enrollment, leaving only two categories of subject expertise and innovation potential. The gold content of various robot competitions has further increased.
As a result, many parents began to sign up their children for robot classes based on keywords such as competitions, specialties, and bonus points. Ultimately, parents' enthusiasm for K12 science and technology education was much higher than that of college students' participation in science and technology competitions. Robot education is booming like the former Mathematical Olympiad.
