Never Have I Ever… Struggled to Explain Constructionism

(and What to Do About It!)

Abstract

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.