“Nelson Mandela University researchers and international educators have highlighted innovative approaches to teaching coding and robotics in schools with limited access to computers and technological equipment. A research colloquium involving academics and teachers from five countries explored practical low-technology and no-technology teaching methods that could help South Africa expand robotics education while addressing digital inequality.”
South Africa Rethinks Robotics Education as Researchers Champion Computer-Free Coding in Schools
GQEBERHA / PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – South African researchers and educators are advancing an inclusive approach to coding and robotics education that could help schools overcome technological barriers and prepare learners for an increasingly automated economy.
Nelson Mandela University’s Department of Computing Sciences, working alongside the Living Lab for Innovative Teaching (LLITUP) and the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Education, has brought together academics, postgraduate students and teachers to explore practical ways of teaching coding and robotics in environments where computers and other technological resources remain limited.
The initiative was highlighted in a university announcement published on 12 November 2026, following the Teaching Coding: Lo-Tech, No-Tech research colloquium hosted at the University of Pretoria’s Groenkloof Campus.
The gathering focused on a critical question facing South African education: how can learners develop coding, robotics and computational thinking skills when schools cannot consistently provide access to computers, specialised equipment or reliable digital infrastructure?
Researchers argued that technological limitations should not prevent children from learning the principles underlying modern digital systems.
Rethinking Access to Robotics Education
Coding and robotics are becoming increasingly important components of education as governments and institutions prepare young people for technological changes affecting employment, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation and business.
However, access to technological learning opportunities remains uneven across schools and communities.
While some institutions have computer laboratories, robotics kits and digital learning platforms, others operate with limited infrastructure. This creates the possibility that learners’ educational opportunities could depend heavily on the resources available at their schools.
The colloquium explored alternative approaches that allow teachers to introduce computational thinking through physical activities, games, musical demonstrations and practical classroom exercises.
These approaches, commonly described as unplugged coding, enable learners to understand programming concepts without necessarily interacting with computers.
The underlying principle is that coding education should begin with understanding logical instructions, patterns, sequences, decisions and problem-solving rather than simply operating digital devices.
By introducing these concepts through accessible activities, educators can establish a foundation for more advanced robotics and programming when technological equipment becomes available.
International Researchers Share Practical Solutions
The research colloquium brought together participants from South Africa, Brazil, the United States, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
According to Nelson Mandela University, nineteen research papers were presented during the programme, covering inclusive teaching practices, teacher preparedness and approaches to computational thinking in resource-constrained environments.
The international participation highlighted the importance of collaboration in developing educational approaches that respond to different technological and socioeconomic conditions.
Professor Don Passey, Emeritus Professor at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, delivered the keynote address.
His presentation included findings from an International Federation for Information Processing-commissioned report examining school-based computational thinking and informatics in South Africa.
The report explored educational approaches involving both computer-based and computer-free learning.
Professor Passey highlighted South Africa’s experience with unplugged coding, noting that approaches developed in resource-constrained schools could provide valuable lessons internationally.
This recognition is significant because it positions South African educators not merely as recipients of international technology solutions but also as contributors to educational innovation.
Teachers Encouraged to Adopt Lo-Tech and Hi-Tech Methods
Professor Jean Greyling, head of Nelson Mandela University’s Department of Computing Sciences, emphasised the importance of exploring alternative approaches to coding education.
The colloquium reinforced the relevance of combining low-technology learning activities with more advanced technological resources.
The concept of Lo-Tech, Hi-Tech is particularly important in South Africa, where educational institutions operate under different infrastructure conditions.
Teachers can introduce fundamental concepts through accessible classroom activities before transitioning learners towards computer programming, robotics kits and more advanced digital applications.
This approach offers flexibility because educators can adapt their teaching methods to the equipment available without abandoning essential learning objectives.
It also provides opportunities for schools to introduce coding and robotics education progressively rather than waiting until they can afford comprehensive technological infrastructure.
Jeanette Viljoen, a teacher at Roedean School, said the programme provided practical ideas and a clearer understanding of how coding and robotics should be approached in schools.
Her reflections emphasised that effective coding education is not primarily determined by the technology or tools used.
Instead, educators should focus on developing computational thinking, problem-solving abilities and conceptual understanding.
This perspective challenges the assumption that meaningful robotics education requires expensive equipment from the beginning.
Practical Activities Demonstrate the Potential of Unplugged Coding
The colloquium included interactive activities designed to demonstrate how computational thinking can be developed through practical experiences.
One presentation used a musical demonstration to illustrate coding concepts.
Jody Joubert from the University of Pretoria used a musical presentation to demonstrate how familiar activities could help learners understand programming principles.
The demonstration showed how sequencing, repetition, patterns and structured instructions can be introduced through activities that learners already understand.
A tangible coding tournament also allowed participants to experience coding concepts without relying on computers.
Teachers participated in practical activities, including the Tangible Rangers game, which demonstrated how physical interaction and collaborative problem-solving can support computational learning.
These activities are important because they provide educators with classroom-ready examples that can be adapted to different age groups and learning environments.
They also illustrate how coding education can become interactive and engaging rather than depending entirely on written explanations or digital screens.
Robotics Education and South Africa’s Digital Skills Agenda
The development of coding and robotics education has wider implications for South Africa’s economic and technological future.
Robotics is increasingly associated with industrial automation, manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, mining, healthcare and other sectors where intelligent machines can improve productivity.
Preparing learners to understand these technologies requires more than familiarity with computers.
Students need analytical thinking, mathematical reasoning, creativity, communication and the ability to understand how instructions translate into actions.
Computational thinking provides a foundation for these capabilities.
Learners who understand sequences, conditions, patterns and logical problem-solving can begin to understand how robotic systems receive instructions, process information and perform tasks.
Unplugged coding therefore represents an entry point into technological education rather than a substitute for advanced robotics.
The approach could help schools introduce foundational knowledge while gradually expanding access to programming tools, electronic components, sensors and robotics platforms.
Addressing Inequality in Technology Education
Professor Lindelani Mnguni, dean of the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Education, stressed that limited technological resources should not prevent learners from developing essential digital-age skills.
He argued that every child should have the opportunity to become a creator, innovator and active participant in shaping the future.
This principle is particularly relevant in South Africa, where educational inequality remains an important consideration in technology policy.
If coding and robotics education depends exclusively on access to expensive equipment, learners in under-resourced communities could face additional barriers to participating in emerging technological industries.
Computer-free teaching methods offer a practical way to introduce foundational skills while institutions work towards improving infrastructure.
Nevertheless, unplugged coding cannot eliminate the need for computers, internet access and specialised equipment.
Advanced robotics education eventually requires learners to interact with real technological systems, write executable programmes, test hardware and understand how software controls physical machines.
The challenge is therefore to combine accessible introductory teaching with sustained investment in technological resources.
Preparing Teachers for Emerging Technologies
Teacher preparedness emerged as another important issue during the research discussions.
Introducing coding and robotics into school curricula requires educators to understand the concepts and feel confident applying them in classrooms.
Professional development programmes can help teachers acquire the knowledge needed to explain computational thinking, design activities and assess learners’ progress.
The colloquium’s practical demonstrations provided an opportunity for educators to experience alternative teaching approaches directly.
Professor Ronel Callaghan from LLITUP reflected on the enthusiasm shown during interactive sessions and formal presentations.
She noted that the activities demonstrated the potential of coding and robotics to energise both educators and learners.
Such experiences can encourage teachers to experiment with new instructional methods and share successful approaches with colleagues.
Collaborative networks between universities, schools and education departments could further support the development of teaching materials and professional learning opportunities.
Universities Strengthen Their Role in Educational Innovation
The collaboration between Nelson Mandela University and the University of Pretoria illustrates the role higher education institutions can play in supporting educational innovation.
Universities contribute research expertise, practical demonstrations and opportunities to evaluate different teaching methods.
They can also help translate research findings into classroom resources that teachers can apply in everyday learning environments.
The participation of postgraduate students and international researchers creates opportunities for continued research into inclusive coding and robotics education.
Further investigation could examine how computer-free activities influence learner understanding, teacher confidence and progression towards advanced technological learning.
Such research would help institutions identify which approaches are most effective for different school environments.
A Foundation for More Inclusive Robotics Learning
The central message emerging from the colloquium is that access to technology should not determine whether learners develop coding, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
South Africa’s experience with unplugged coding demonstrates that computational thinking can be introduced through practical, creative and accessible educational activities.
For schools facing infrastructure limitations, these approaches offer a valuable starting point for robotics education.
However, the long-term objective remains broader: ensuring that learners eventually have opportunities to engage directly with computers, programming environments and physical robotic systems.
The challenge for education policymakers, universities and schools will be to combine innovative teaching methods with investment in infrastructure, teacher development and appropriate learning resources.
As robotics and artificial intelligence continue to influence the global economy, South Africa’s ability to develop technological talent will depend partly on how effectively it introduces foundational skills to young learners.
The research initiative highlighted by Nelson Mandela University provides an important contribution to that discussion.
Its emphasis on inclusive, adaptable and practical teaching reinforces the idea that technological education should be accessible to every learner, regardless of the resources available in their classroom.
Ultimately, computer-free coding is not about teaching robotics without technology forever. It is about ensuring that the absence of technology today does not prevent learners from becoming the innovators, engineers and robotics specialists of tomorrow.
