The Constructionism Conference 2025 will take place from June 24 to June 27 in Zurich at ETH Zurich and PHZH (Zurich University of Teacher Education). Conference website: https://constructionism2025.inf.ethz.ch/ Since its inception with the Logo programming language in 1967, Constructionism has continually evolved, influencing countless educational tools and practices. As we prepare for Constructionism 2025 in Zurich, our theme, “Building communities, bridging ideas,” aims to honor the rich history of constructionist ideas while forging new paths in educational innovation. This year, we seek to explore how constructionist ideas can inspire future advancements in learning technologies and methodologies. We invite you to join us in examining how the foundational principles of Constructionism can be reimagined in today's rapidly changing educational landscape. Constructionism 2025 promises a vibrant platform for educators, researchers, and practitioners to share and discuss innovative practices and theoretical advancements. The conference will feature keynote speeches, interactive workshops, and diverse sessions that cover a wide range of topics related to constructionist learning.
Makerspaces in Teacher Education as Hubs for (Re)Designing Learning and Teaching
Much work on makerspaces has focused on bringing maker education directly into schools, but with limited success. Prior research shows that the challenge is not technical but cultural: constructionist learning like maker education can only flourish when schools create conditions that support new ways of teaching and learning. In this keynote, I argue that one way to build such cultural conditions is by strengthening teaching as a design practice, and that institutional makerspaces in universities of teacher education can serve as vital infrastructures for this work. I illustrate this argument through two case studies from my work: (1) teachers designing pedagogical objects for their own classrooms, which fostered their agency and collaborative reflection, and (2) the design of a novel artefact-based learning sequence by a professional team, modeled in classrooms, which expanded teachers’ pedagogical imagination. Together, these strands of work show how institutional makerspaces can empower teachers as designers and inspire ambitious innovations, positioning them as hubs for cultural change in teaching.
Copyright (c) 2025 Engin Bumbacher (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Debugging is a critical component of computational thinking and an essential skill for problem-solving. Over the past decade, national school curricula have started to include debugging practices, underscoring its importance, but to date there is no standardized assessment method available. Similarly, research on debugging assessment is scarce and the solutions brought forth lack scalability and accessibility to be applied in K-12 education. This workshop addresses this gap by introducing a novel game-based debugging assessment tool that enables students across a wide range of ages and skill levels to engage in realistic debugging tasks without requiring any prior programming knowledge. The tool focuses on the actual debugging aspect of problem-solving and programming by guiding students to check for bugs, locate them, and experiment with different solutions to effectively resolve the issue and achieve the desired outcome. The assessment strives to provide realistic debugging features with multiple valid solutions, interdependent variables, and time constraints, while distinguishing between superficial fixes and root-cause resolutions to mimic real-world debugging challenges. Implemented as a cross-platform tablet application, the assessment was developed iteratively with learners aged 5 to 18+, to ensure appropriate engagement across the K-12 age range. In this workshop, participants will be able to try this novel debugging assessment tool first-hand, share feedback on its debugging principles, discuss strategies for integrating such assessments into classrooms, and explore opportunities for collaboration.
Copyright (c) 2025 Kunal Massé, Francesco Mondada, Alberto Piatti http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Making music together is part of traditional rituals; it helps develop social bonds, build community, and improve mental health. Yet, in many societies, this fundamental part of human experience has been restricted to young children, with their innate sense of playfulness, and accomplished musicians. The workshop invites participants with any level of musical experience to rediscover the wonder of making music together. For this, they will engage in playful exploration of the sounds of everyday objects, digital sound transformations, and collective music-making activities inspired by Listening To Waves, a widely adopted program creating web applications and activities connecting music and STEM.
Copyright (c) 2025 Victor Minces, Hortense Gerardo, Akshay Nagarajan http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
ChoiCo, SorBET, MaLT2: Building Computational Thinking Experiences
This workshop addresses the pressing need to broaden computational thinking (CT) beyond traditional coding exercises by integrating digital authoring tools into diverse, culturally relevant and interdisciplinary activities. In today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, CT is recognised as a vital 21st-century literacy; yet its implementation has often been confined to isolated programming contexts. The workshop offers a series of hands-on activities rooted in constructionist learning principles and based on recent insights from the fields of embodied cognition, game-based learning, and data science. Utilizing three innovative tools – 1. ChoiCo, which enables the modification of socio-scientific simulation games; 2. SorBET, which supports the design of classification games; and 3. MaLT2, which facilitates the creation of 3D animations that merge artistic expression with mathematical modeling – the workshop aims at bridging theory and practice. It not only demonstrates practical applications of these tools in lesson planning, but also provokes deeper discussion about their underlying theoretical foundations. By outlining concrete strategies for classroom integration, the workshop addresses the needs of diverse learner groups, from novice students to educators seeking innovative instructional techniques. Ultimately, it aims to extend current CT research by exploring its interdisciplinary applications and equipping practitioners with adoptable tools and methodologies, thereby linking CT with data science, mathematical modeling, creative-artistic expression, and critical thinking on socio-scientific, cultural, and ethical issues.
Copyright (c) 2025 Chronis Kynigos, Marianthi Grizioti, Myrto Karavakou, Maria-Stella Nikolaou, Christina Gkreka, Charikleia Korompli http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Papert’s Vision Realized: Constructionism and Generative AI
The paper examines how the emergence of generative AI enables the practical implementation of Seymour Papert’s constructionist vision in education. Through analysis of constructionism’s evolution across three digital epochs – personal computing, networked society, and generative AI – we demonstrate how current AI systems transform from “objects to think with” to “agents to think with,” creating new possibilities for learning and knowledge construction. Traditional tools like Logo, while revolutionary, remained passive and deterministic. In contrast, modern AI systems function as interactive learning partners, capable of adaptive response and engagement in higher-order thinking. This transformation represents a fundamental epistemological shift from emphasis on universal principles to valuing context-specific, emergent knowledge. The paper argues that generative AI naturally aligns with constructionist principles by supporting personalized learning pathways, enabling metacognitive dialogue, and facilitating collaborative knowledge construction. The convergence of artificial intelligence with constructionist learning theories is bringing forth an era where human-AI collaboration fosters the co-evolution of knowledge, aligning with Papert’s vision and introducing unprecedented opportunities in education.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ilya Levin, Alexei Semenov, Mikael Gorsky http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Papert, Parables, and the Future of Constructionism
Constructionism approaches middle age at a time of political upheaval, battles over schooling, the emergence of accessible artificial intelligence tools, a rudderless edtech community, a maker movement in hibernation, official demands for computer science for all instruction, the teacher retention crisis, post-pandemic realignment, mobile computing ubiquity, and countless other forces generating chaos and noise. The constructionism community has much to offer in leading education and by extension, society, into an uncertain future, if it chooses to do so. This paper uses Seymour Papert as an object-to-think with to plot the future of constructionism and nurture the long-term health of the constructionist community.
Copyright (c) 2025 Gary Stager http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Imagine your students creating sophisticated games by combining hand-drawn art with AI – all while reducing their screen time. This workshop introduces RULER.game, where even programming novices such as first graders can build Pac-Man-like games with collaborating ghosts, bridging the gap between physical creativity and digital innovation. This workshop introduces Collaborative Computational Thinking Tools (CCTTs) through RULER.game, which combines off-screen activities like drawing game assets on paper with collaborative learning and AI-enabled programming. Participants will create a Pac-Man-like game and understand the distinction between contemporary block-based programming and CCTTs. The workshop examines how CCTTs address semantic and pragmatic programming concerns through prebugging, while Proxy-Based Programming blends block-based programming with programming by example to overcome semantic challenges. RULER.game is free, enabling students to create and play sophisticated games through collaborative creation and gameplay by combining hand-drawn assets with AI functions. Games can be programmed with RULER.game on tablets, laptops, smartphones and in VR environments.
Copyright (c) 2025 Alexander Repenning http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This interactive workshop explores the transformative potential of effective questioning as a catalyst for student engagement and a key element in reimagining the curriculum, connecting it more deeply to the lives of learners. Participants will engage in practical activities, learning to craft questions that empower students to develop critical thinking, creativity, exploratory skills, and a sense of inquiry about the world around them. The workshop emphasizes how strategic questioning fosters active, engaged, and informed participation in situations and decisions that impact students’ lives. Grounded in the understanding that questions are fundamental to the teaching-learning process and crucial in all stages of Creative Learning, the session focuses on developing effective questions that promote constructionist education within regular classrooms.
Copyright (c) 2025 Thais Eastwood Vaine, Verônica Gomes dos Santos http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The CYBATHLON @school Program, part of the CYBATHLON initiative, integrates STEM education with empathy-building by engaging students in creating prototypes of assistive technologies for individuals with disabilities. The CYBATHLON @school Contest invited school classes to tackle the challenges faced by real or hypothetical individuals with disabilities through design thinking and prototyping, fostering creativity and empathy. More than 300 students from 16 classes (Grades 4 to 9) submitted 125 posters showcasing their innovative solutions. Winning teams earned makerspace access and public recognition during the CYBATHLON 2024 competition. This poster presents the contest structure, materials, and early insights from student projects, offering a possible role model for combining STEM education with inclusion and creativity.
Copyright (c) 2025 Tobias M. Schifferle, Nina Kollegger http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Teacher Training Mediated by Creative Learning
Constructionist education, based on its fundamental premises, has consistently proven effective in fostering a more holistic and integrative education. These premises align with the aspirations of formal education, which is monitored and evaluated through external and standardized assessments that do not always capture such comprehensive development. Drawing upon the tenets of constructionism, we hypothesize that pedagogical practices grounded in Creative Learning (CL), an outgrowth of constructionism, have the potential to directly impact student learning and performance, and that this impact can be captured by assessments. Consequently, we acknowledge that for such success, the formative process must be linked to the development of teaching practice that aligns with the desired transformative ideal, moving away from reproducing a traditional and passive education that is misaligned with the aspired protagonistic stance. Thus, this study investigated the impact of teacher training grounded in CL principles on pedagogical practice and student reading and writing performance. This exploratory research was conducted in two phases. The first phase (2023) involved direct monitoring and intervention with 14 teachers, 16 classes, and 377 students from one school district, divided into a control group (CG) and an intervention group (IG). The second phase (2024) focused on the potential for scaling up and replication, with a sample of 3 school districts, 101 teachers/classes, and 2600 students, and included a cascading formative layer. The results showed significant gains in phase 1 and promising results in phase 2 (currently under analysis), confirming the direct relationship between a constructionist formative approach, the transformation of teaching practice, academic performance, and holistic education.
Copyright (c) 2025 Veronica Gomes dos Santos, Thais Eastwood Vaine, Gabriela Breviglieri http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Parametrix: A Novel Approach to Teaching Parametric Design in K12 and Digital Fabrication Education
Parametric designing is a transformative approach in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) where the geometry adapts dynamically based on user-defined parameters. Despite the valuable propositions of this technique [5], it remains underused due to a lack of resources suited for complete beginners, causing the technique to have a steep learning curve [2]. Recent work has highlighted how parametric design tools, while powerful, tend to be less accessible to beginner designers compared to direct manipulation tools [7]. To address this gap, Parametrix introduces parametric design to K12 students and beginners in digital fabrication through an accessible and structured learning platform. With an intuitive and interactive interface, Parametrix provides a hands-on introduction to the logic of parametric design, allowing users to experiment with and create their own parametric models. Developed in collaboration with teachers, Parametrix is a web platform that teaches parametric design principles in an accessible way. Through an approachable and user-friendly interface, it provides an easy introduction to the logic of parametric designing and is a medium to create various designs parametrically [3]. Parametrix teaches parametric design using an applied method that helps students develop creativity and collaborative competency [4]. Through Parametrix, we aim to foster a more engaging and effective learning environment for those new to digital fabrication and parametric design.
Copyright (c) 2025 Emre Dayangaç, Mehmet Bener, Sedat Yalçın http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Constructing Dienes Blocks With Magnetic Cubes – A Preschool Game Named Klickinary
The purpose of this approach is to enhance the idea of Dienes multibase arithmetic blocks with even more intriguing elements. In the proposed counting game preschool children are encouraged to construct the Dienes blocks themselves by bundling magnets. First results in the field – on a very small sample – are very promising. The algorithm can be handled even at the age of 3. Correct numbering for base two and other bases is easily reached by almost nonverbal means. Moreover, high intrinsic motivation was observed with the children insisting to play the game again.
Copyright (c) 2025 Uwe Geisler http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Integrating maker education into formal schooling systems presents significant challenges due to entrenched educational infrastructures that resist change. This study explores the early stages of infrastructuring maker education through a design-based implementation research (DBIR) approach with a municipal partner. Despite the municipality’s enthusiasm, evidenced by their investments in maker spaces and future plans to expand these efforts, foundational questions emerged regarding the purpose and disciplinary integration of maker education. The onboarding process revealed the need for iterative dialogue, visual tools, and concrete examples to bridge conceptual gaps and align visions. This journey underscores the importance of fostering shared understanding and direction in early stages of the infrastructure process. The findings contribute to the growing literature on infrastructuring for educational change, offering theoretical and practical insights into fostering sustainable, constructionist learning in schools.
Copyright (c) 2025 Yuval Segev, Yotam Hod, Shiri Kashi http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Exploring Meanings Around Inscribability Through Collaborative Programming and Modeling
The subject of this research is the study of students’ collaboration on the debugging and production of digital models, within the programming environment MaLT2, to examine how collaboratively engaging with transformative technologies redefines learning, affects the production, expression and communication of ideas and how it enriches mental constructions and connections between abstract mathematical ideas and concrete programming implementations. This is an empirical study addressed to 9th grade students and consists of a series of exploratory activities assigning children the active role of ‘co-creators’ and creative tinkerers of digital artefacts, working in a community of practice with digital tools.
Copyright (c) 2025 Charikleia Korompli http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This study examines “creative deviation” as a new assessment method to promote learners’ interests, engagement, and creativity within STEAM education. Mock lessons centered on food were conducted, during which deviations from standard classroom progression were carefully observed. These behaviors were evaluated using originality criteria from contemporary art. The study hypothesizes that creative deviations can initiate creativity that drives innovation in a diverse society. This research explores the application and potential of creative deviation as an effective tool for assessing and fostering student creativity.
Copyright (c) 2025 Haruna Nakayama, Kazutoyo Takata, Daiya Aida http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Starting in the school year 2023/2024, informatics became a compulsory subject in grade 10 in Lower Saxony, a federal state in Germany. The core curriculum advises a project and product oriented work, following a constructivistic approach as offered by making acitivities. Since maker education implies a different form of teaching in schools, the question arises how teachers can be supported in integrating maker education into their informatics lessons and which changes can occur as a result of this support. Therefore, the teacher training course “IXME” (abbr. for “Informatics by Maker Education”) was developed und conducted. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected, and are under ongoing analysis following a mixed methods research design.
Copyright (c) 2025 Mirek Hančl, Bernadette Spieler http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Is There an Open End in Open Badges? Experiences From a Maker Lab
This paper explores the integration of Edubadges, a form of microcredentials, within a constructionist learning environment at a higher education maker lab in the Netherlands. It examines the theoretical tension between constructionism’s emphasis on open-ended exploration and microcredentials’ focus on defined outcomes. By implementing a tiered assessment framework based on the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition, the study demonstrates how badge systems can provide scaffolding while maintaining constructionist principles of agency and creativity. The research follows an educational action research approach, analyzing implementation experiences through teacher interviews, student interactions, and artifact analysis. Findings reveal the potential of Edubadges to enhance student motivation and support lifelong learning, while highlighting challenges in technical integration, institutional recognition, and maintaining the balance between structured assessment and open-ended learning. This work contributes to the emerging discourse on innovative assessment methods by showcasing how seemingly contradictory educational philosophies can be brought into productive dialogue through thoughtful design that embeds open-endedness within credential structures.
Copyright (c) 2025 Manon Mostert-van der Sar, Peter Troxler http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Constructionism as a Key to Interdisciplinary Competences
One of the biggest challenges in education today is equipping learners with future-oriented skills that take into account technological advances, environmental sustainability and entrepreneurial innovation. As part of the Erasmus+ “ComeThinkAgain” project, this paper presents a consolidated list of competences and teaching methods aimed at promoting computational thinking (CT), entrepreneurship education (EE) and innovation as well as green skills (GS) and social responsibility. Based on an in-depth literature review, existing frameworks, and a curriculum analysis, this research synthesizes a cross-country competence list. This list was validated and refined through nine co-creation workshops across the partner countries, in which various stakeholders discussed the list of competences and teaching methods to ensure relevance to practice. Central to this effort is the application of constructionism, which serves as a unifying approach to developing these competences. By emphasising learning by doing and active exploration, constructionism provides a practical basis for the cross-curricular integration of CT, EE and GS and thus promotes systems thinking, environmental responsibility and strategic innovation. This approach allows for the design of modular learning systems for both vocational education and training (VET) and higher education (HE), creating comprehensive micro-modules for sustainable and interdisciplinary skills development.
Copyright (c) 2025 Bernadette Spieler, Melanie Kieber, Julia Lanz, Harald Burgsteiner, Sandra Tomeschek, Martin Kandlhofer, Luciana Ayciriex, Karl Kruusamae http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Self-Assessment of Competencies in Project-Based Learning
This study investigates the innovative application of New Pedagogies for Deep Learning (NPDL) Learning Progressions as a novel method for competency-based self-assessment within the context of Digital Education in the São Paulo Municipal Teaching Network (RME). We examined this assessment approach in a nine-month project involving 56 students (aged 11-12), titled “Projeto Marajoara”, which integrated digital fabrication, museum studies and programming. Based on the NPDL’s six competencies and their respective dimensions, students performed a self-assessment using a Likert scale after project completion. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman correlations, network analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM), utilizing a mixed-methods approach. Results showed students’ self-assessments concentrated in the mid-range, with meaningful correlations between key competencies. Network analysis identified “global perspective,” “teamwork” and “evaluation of arguments” as central and influential dimensions. SEM revealed that models for Character, Collaboration, Communication and Critical Thinking had acceptable fit. Dominance analysis confirmed key dimensions for their respective competencies. This study contributes to the field by providing new insights into the implementation of the NPDL framework in a constructionist educational context, demonstrating its potential for self-assessment and highlighting the complex interrelations of competencies. These findings also reveal the need to utilize diverse methodological techniques to fully understand the complexities of competency-based evaluation. Future research should extend this analysis to include teacher perspectives and explore other contexts to verify the stability of these results, as our results suggest how such methods can contribute to a more nuanced and meaningful practice of assessment in education.
Copyright (c) 2025 Everton B. Bertaglia, Igor M. Pereira, Álvaro C. L. Rios, Efigênia M. P. Silva, Felipe B. Dias http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Cultivating Creativity in Teacher Education
Music education is widely recognized for its cognitive and emotional benefits, making it a significant focus of educational research. However, many educators – particularly in early childhood and primary settings – are reluctant to integrate music into their teaching. This hesitation often stems from inadequate musical preparation, low self-confidence, and insufficient support. Such limitations reduce both the frequency and quality of musical experiences offered to students, limiting their developmental opportunities. To address this issue, a balanced approach to teacher preparation is needed – one that combines theoretical understanding with practical, experiential learning to build both music skills and teaching. This article introduces the Strategic Informal Approach (SIA), a constructionist model informed by Mitchel Resnick’s (2007) “Creative Learning Spiral” and principles of Design-based Research (DbR). The intervention emphasized collaborative music creation, reflection, and hands-on learning to support both musical and pedagogical growth among early childhood preservice teachers. In this study, the Strategic Informal Approach was applied at European University Cyprus, within a teacher preparation program for early childhood preservice teachers. Through experiential learning and a series of collaborative music games, significant shifts were observed in participants’ music learning and dispositions towards integrating music in their teaching. The program was guided by four key principles – Inspire, Explore, Create, and Celebrate – which shaped the redesign of music sessions to foster holistic learning and community building. While limited by a small sample and single context, the study points to promising directions for adapting the SIA in broader settings. Given its reliance on the instructor-researcher’s dual role, future research should explore its application across larger cohorts. These findings emphasize the potential of experiential, inclusive, and constructionist approaches to transform music education, offering valuable insights into preparing future educators by making music more accessible, engaging, and sustainable.
Copyright (c) 2025 Christina Charalambidou http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Constructionism Meets Design Thinking: Reflection-in-Action During Digital Game Design
In this paper we discuss the reflective practices that Vocational High School students expressed while designing digital games following the Design Thinking Methodology. These games, as outcomes of Design Thinking projects, addressed issues from daily or professional life. The study was implemented within the framework of the European research project Exten(D.T.)2 (https://extendt2.eu/), which focuses on the integration of new technologies in Design Thinking educational activities to develop 21st-century skills. The results of the study showed that Design Thinking methodology significantly encouraged students to pose reflective questions and make intuitive reflective summaries while the feedback activities stimulated their critical thinking and reflection.
Copyright (c) 2025 Christina Gkreka, Marianthi Grizioti http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The evolving landscape of digital technology has transformed music engagement, offering unique opportunities for expression and creative education. In this context, music education is undergoing a significant transformation that challenges traditional teaching models while creating new avenues for creativity, engagement, and learning. This study explores the design and implementation of the “Digital Little Music Makers”, a pedagogical music proposal reflecting a constructionist lens that integrates advanced technologies and innovative teaching strategies – music production, maker movement, coding, AI, and immersive technologies (VR/AR) – and examines the teaching and learning impact of a practical intervention conducted over 30 weeks at Pierce, The American College of Greece. The study adopted a qualitative approach, utilizing a Design-Based Research methodology, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews, field observations, informal discussions, and student-created musical artifacts. The ultimate aim was to investigate how these methodologies integrated within a transdisciplinary STEAM-based perspective could improve students’ musical creativity and collaborative skills. Findings revealed high levels of student engagement, autonomy, and creativity through diverse technological tools and teaching strategies that enabled participants to compose music, build interactive installations, and design immersive experiences. Emerging and immersive technologies fostered hands-on learning, enhancing problem-solving skills connecting formal and informal music learning beyond the classroom. By positioning students as makers, the intervention appeared to cultivate skills like computational thinking, artistic expression, and peer collaboration skills, which are essential for the 21st century. Overall, the study underscores the transformative potential of STEAM-driven and constructionist perspectives in reimagining and redefining music education through technology-enhanced creativity, challenging traditional teaching methods by emphasizing learning through “making” as a catalyst for an educational paradigm shift.
Emerging and immersive technologies in Music Education
Copyright (c) 2025 Yannis Mygdanis http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Contemporary society requires urgent changes in traditional education to engage students and foster innovation, critical thinking, and ethical use of digital technologies. Maker Education, based on Seymour Papert’s constructionism, emphasizes knowledge construction through the production of meaningful objects, while promoting the use of technology. However, challenges such as teacher training, curriculum integration, and activities incorporating students’ realities and interests hinder its implementation. This article presents a field study conducted in a public school in São Paulo, Brazil, involving a sixth-grade class and six teachers from different disciplines. Initially designed to teach mathematical concepts through an interactive game related to soccer, the project evolved into an interdisciplinary learning experience when a student raised concerns about urban inequality linked to a nearby soccer stadium construction. This shift enabled students to engage critically with real-world issues while aligning with pedagogical objectives as proposed by Paulo Freire. The study shows how integrating Maker Education into the curriculum enhances interdisciplinary and contextualized learning, empowering students to actively understand and address social challenges.
Copyright (c) 2025 Eliton Moura, Mirtes Silva, Bianca Borges, José Valente http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Conceptions of Freire and Papert Inside the City of São Paulo’s Curriculum and the Re-Signification of Constructionism in Pedagogical Practices
This article analyses how Rede Municipal de Ensino de São Paulo (“São Paulo’s Municipal Education Network”) incorporated and re-signified Papert’s constructionist theory and Freire’s humanizing pedagogy in its Technologies for Learning curricular proposal. Following a bibliographical and documental approach, it is identified that there is an enhancement in learning by the production of artifacts by students. The analysis also highlights teacher training as essential for the adoption of these concepts. The results point to the presence of constructive elements in the pedagogical practices in the network, showing the transformation of the curriculum’s theories into action and reorganizing the Digital Education laboratories following contemporary demands.
Copyright (c) 2025 Regina Célia Fortuna Broti Gavassa, Maria Elisabeth Bianconcini de Almeida http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
From Novice Players to Creative Designers: A Constructionist Attempt with SorBET
This paper presents a small-scale, exploratory study investigating how eight middle school students shifted from passive engagement to reflective designers of their own learning experiences. Utilizing “SorBET”, a digital tool that enables learners to both play classification-based games and modify their underlying structures, students were observed through three phases: initial gameplay, adaptive modifications and eventual design of new game content within a design-based research (DBR) framework. The intervention involved two distinct interaction modalities: one group of students engaged with gesture-based and voice-command interface, while another group employed a traditional mouse-based interface. The study explores how iterative experimentation, external feedback and reflection contribute to the development of active, creative participation, as well as how different interaction methods influence collaboration and decision-making. Findings suggest that embodied interactions tend to prioritize rapid iteration, though this sometimes came at the cost of explicit negotiation. Mouse interfaces more often led to structured deliberation, though individual dominance varied. While limited in scope, this study offers valuable insights into the integration of constructionist principles in game-based learning environments and emphasizes how such experiences empower learners to critically engage with the logic and structures behind digital tools.
Copyright (c) 2025 Maria-Stella Nikolaou, Chronis Kynigos http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Empowering K-12 Students with Computational Creativity
Recent developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) are not only transforming society but are also increasingly shaping educational contexts. While AI technologies offer new possibilities for rich learning experiences, there is growing consensus that students should not only use AI systems but also be able to understand and design them. Constructionist learning environments provide a promising foundation for this shift, enabling learners to engage hands-on with AI by constructing meaningful artifacts. One particularly suitable domain for this is Computational Creativity (CC), which focuses on systems that generate novel outputs using AI techniques. In this paper, we introduce the Constructionist Computational Creativity (CCC) model, which aims to integrate CC into K–12 education in a way that fosters both creative expression and AI competencies. The model was developed through a synthesis of CC theory and constructionist pedagogy and was refined through an exploratory study with pre-service Computer Science teachers. Findings from this study show that engaging learners in the development of creative AI systems supports a deeper understanding of AI concepts, enhances computational thinking, and promotes reflection on creativity across domains. The CCC model thus offers a structured approach to integrating AI education into creative learning processes.
Copyright (c) 2025 Lana Issa, Ralf Romeike http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
In the Swiss curriculum, fundamental programming concepts and Computational Thinking are not sufficiently covered in 3rd and 4th grade, leaving many students unprepared when programming is first introduced in 5th grade. The IMPACT project addresses this gap by developing an unplugged, game-based learning environment that introduces key programming concepts in an engaging and age-appropriate way. In this workshop, we present the current state of an unplugged board game designed to help 4th-grade students grasp essential programming concepts such as sequences, loops, conditions, and events. Developed using the Educational Design Research approach, the game has undergone iterative refinement through literature review, expert interviews, consultations with didactic experts, and classroom testing (n=161, 8 classes). First results show that students felt well engaged and teachers gave highly positive feedback on its age-appropriateness and value for programming preparation. The workshop will allow participants to experience the game firsthand and explore how it can be integrated into diverse classroom contexts. In addition, participants will gain insight into the underlying design principles and how iterative development supported both pedagogical quality and classroom feasibility. The workshop aims to share this learning tool with the wider community, collect feedback for continued development, and spark dialogue on unplugged approaches to coding in early education. The broader goal is to contribute to constructionist approaches by empowering learners to explore programming through hands-on, collaborative, and playful activities that build foundational skills and confidence.
Copyright (c) 2025 Larissa Meyer-Baron, Janine Truetsch, Bernadette Spieler http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Microworlds and Programming, Microworlds as Vehicles for Learning
Come learn how to create microworlds which customize programming environments as a form of scaffolding for learners of specific needs, ages, or ability levels. Along the way, you will bring powerful ideas from Bruner, Perkins, and the Reggio Emilia approach to life in your teaching while developing your own computing fluency.
Never Have I Ever… Struggled to Explain Constructionism
This workshop addresses a recurring challenge in constructionist communities: how to effectively communicate to non-experts, such as school teachers or policymakers what constructionism is. Despite its strong theoretical foundations (Papert, 1980; Harel & Papert, 1991), constructionism often resists simple explanations, especially in non-academic or informal contexts. Our workshop employs a playful and participatory format inspired by the game Never Have I Ever... to support educators, researchers, and practitioners in sharing communication challenges and collaboratively building strategies to overcome them. By engaging in structured storytelling, reflective dialogue, and collaborative planning, participants will prototype outreach strategies or conceptual frameworks. The workshop is itself constructionist in design: it invites participants to reflect on their own experiences, construct shared meaning, and build actionable tools through collective engagement. This approach aligns with Papert’s vision of learning-by-doing and emphasizes the importance of social negotiation and context in knowledge-building. The outcomes of the workshop will contribute to a broader effort to expand the reach and impact of constructionist ideas in diverse educational settings.
Copyright (c) 2025 Giorgia Bissoli, Agnese Del Zozzo, Francesca Fiore, Alberto Montresor, Giulia Paludo, Marta Valentini, David Zikovitz http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Introducing Beginners to Making: Spaces, Methods, and Hands-on Approaches
Despite the increasing relevance of constructionist learning approaches, many educators struggle with how to introduce students to Making in a structured, accessible, and scalable way – especially when resources, space, or institutional support are limited. This workshop addresses that challenge by presenting three practical models for integrating Making into formal education: (1) a dedicated school-based Makerspace, (2) a mobile Makerspace with tools on wheels, and (3) an extracurricular Makerspace. Each model is illustrated with examples from practice and designed to accommodate different school contexts and infrastructure constraints. Drawing on Papert’s constructionism (Papert & Harel, 1991) and expanded through the MakeComp4School framework (Maurer, 2023), the workshop introduces two didactic entry strategies: the „Maker License“ system, which scaffolds skill acquisition before students begin independent projects, and situational making, which invites learners to address real-world needs through self-directed prototyping. Both models promote creativity, agency, and interdisciplinary thinking (Marshall & Harron, 2018) while maintaining a low-threshold entry into hands-on making. Participants will engage in rapid prototyping tasks using accessible materials (e.g., cardboard, basic electronics, microcontrollers) and receive implementation resources such as planning templates and evaluation tools. This workshop contributes to the field of constructionist learning by providing educators with pedagogically grounded, adaptable methods to foster meaningful making experiences for beginners.
Copyright (c) 2025 Fatmir Racipi, Stephanie Eugster http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0