Educational Robotics as an Actuality. On Imaginaries, (A)Symmetries and Subjectivities

Educational robotics today is typically located within a broader techno-solu- tionist epistemology, and the resulting imaginaries, (a)symmetries, and subjectivities often frame it as a set of dynamic tools inherently capable of enhancing active learning, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and social engagement. However, what occurs when educational robotics is considered as an actuality within contemporary education, serving not merely as a technological intervention but as a situated socio-material assemblage? This paper argues for a critical stance toward deterministic narratives that accompany the adoption of edu- cational robotics, highlighting that such narratives frequently oversimplify complex educa- tional processes and overlook inherent political and epistemological dimensions. We propose viewing educational robotics through an ontological lens, positioning these technologies not as fixed entities but as relational assemblages continually reshaped through interaction. This perspective critiques deterministic techno-solutionist approaches, emphasizing instead the historical contingency, relational fluidity, and strategic polyvalence characterizing educa- tional robotics. Adopting a Deleuzian reading of Foucault and post-ANT sensibilities, the paper underscores the importance of critical inquiry and practical critique, advocating for an approach that embraces contingency and experimentalism. This framework seeks to un- derstand educational robotics as embedded within the sociohistorical conditions that define contemporary education, ultimately calling for more reflexive, nuanced engagements with the role of technology in shaping educational subjectivities.