Student Acceptance of Social Robots in Higher Education -- Evidence from a Vignette Study

Social robots have the potential to play a vital role in education. Student technology acceptance may be considered as a driver for their successful integration in educational processes. Based on the ICAP (Interactive, Constructive, Active, Passive) framework and research on social robot roles, we have developed eight vignettes describing scenarios for the use of social robots in higher education, e.g., teaching assistant. Students in an introductory university course completed the vignettes; they answered questions based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), as well as on their ethical approval. Drawing from a sample of N = 361 students, we carried out confirmatory factor analysis. In line with the conceptual basis, eight scenarios can be described. Overall, students do not accept social robots as presenters; however, the assessment of other roles, such as teaching assistant, is positive. By means of a latent profile analysis, we were able to identify four profiles that may be meaningful from a conceptual point of view. One profile is particularly noteworthy. It comprises students who accept social robots not as a means of instruction, e.g., as a tutor, but as a tool, e.g., to promote computational thinking.