Constructionism 2025

The first two days will take place at ETH Zurich, while the last two days are on the campus of the Zurich University of Teacher Education. Checking in is possible on all four days at 8:00 (8:00am) and additionally on Monday evening at 18:00 (6:00pm).

Details on how to get to the campi can be found here.

Slots for full papers are 30 minutes long, with talks taking around 20 minutes, and then time for a few questions. Slots for short papers are 20 minutes in length with around 10 minutes reserved for the talks.

Program

Details and Sessions

The following detailed schedule could subject to last-minute changes.

Click / tap on the paper titles or sessions to read the abstracts.

Monday, 23. June
- 18:00 [ETH HG Foyer] Pre-Check-in, Welcome Drinks
Tuesday, 24. June
- 8:00–9:00 [ETH HG Foyer] Check-in
- 9:00–9:30 [ETH HG E 7] Bernadette Spieler, Dennis Komm: Welcome to Constructionism 2025
- 9:30–10:30 [ETH HG E 7, Chair: Dennis Komm] Leah Buechley, Keynote: “Material Matters”
- - 11:00–12:30 [ETH HG E 7, Chair: Ken Kahn] Full Paper Session 1.1
    - 11:00–11:30 Surat Tanprasertkul, Puthyrom Tep, and Watchara Thitayanuwat: “The Influence of Constructionist Learning Environments on the Development of Global Citizenship Education Among K-12 Students”
    - 11:30–12:00 James Fey, Raquel Breejon Robinson, Shannon Campe, and Katherine Isbister: “Reflections and Facilitator Best Practices From a Collaborative Educational Live Action Roleplay Camp”
    - 12:00–12:30 Emanuel Felipe Duarte, M. Cecilia C. Baranauskas, and José A. Valente: “Extending Computational Thinking: Embodied Learning Through Socioenactive Scenarios”
  - 11:00–12:30 [ETH HG G 3, Chair: Peter Mozelius] Full Paper Session 1.2 “Innovative Assessment and Evaluation Methods” and “Making and Innovation in Constructionist Learning”
    - 11:00–11:30 Everton B. Bertaglia, Igor M. Pereira, Álvaro C. L. Rios, Efigênia M. P. Silva, and Felipe B. Dias: “Competency-Based Self-Assessment in Project-Based Learning: An Application of NPDL Framework in São Paulo”
    - 11:30–12:00 Manon Mostert-van der Sar, and Peter Troxler: “Is There an Open End in Open Badges? Experiences From a Maker Lab”
    - 12:00–12:30 Marianthi Grizioti and Chronis Kynigos: “Extending Constructionist Media With Emerging Digital Technologies For Critical Computational Thinking”
- 12:30 [ETH HG Polyterrasse] Group Photo
- - 14:00–15:30 [ETH LFW C 4] Workshop 1.1, Ken Kahn and Sylvia Libow Martinez: “Being Creative with Chatbots: How to Co-create Apps, Adventures, Debates, and Panel Discussions With AI”
  - 14:00–15:30 [ETH LFW E 13] Workshop 1.2, Irmak Ureten, Kaan Tabag, Ahmet Burhan Bas, Arda Efe Ozcan, Maya Bilgisel, and Sedat Yalcin: “Bridging Theoretical and Applied Mechanics by Integration of Augmented Reality: Automata”
  - 14:00–15:30 [ETH HG D 5.1] Workshop 1.3, Lydia Guterman, Sarah Wharton, and Mary Cate Gustafson-Quiett: “Generating Constructionist Criteria for AI Educational Technology: How to Evaluate AI Tools That Help Students Build Knowledge”
  - 14:00–15:30 [ETH HG D 5.3] Workshop 1.4, Alexander Repenning: “Design Games With the RULER.game Collaborative Computational Thinking Tool”
- - 16:00–17:30 [ETH HG E 7, Chair: Ralf Romeike] Full Paper Session 2.1
    - 16:00–16:30 Krithik Ranjan, Anika Mahajan, Rishi Vanukuru, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do: “The Design Space of Tangible Interfaces for Computational Tinkerability”
    - 16:30–17:00 Chris Proctor, Yeshi Paljor, and Varun Bhatt: “Permeable media: A Design Strategy for Constructionist Software”
    - 17:00–17:30 Maria Florencia Morado, Ayelen Eva Melo, and Angela Jarman: “Building Learning Experiences: The Transformative Power of Constructionist Makerspaces in Holistic Child Development”
  - 16:00–17:30 [ETH HG G 3, Chair: Tilman Michaeli] Full Paper Session 2.2 “Making and Innovation in Constructionist Learning”
    - 16:00–16:30 Christina Charalambidou: “Cultivating Creativity in Teacher Education: A Strategic Informal Approach to Music and Early-Childhood Pedagogy”
    - 16:30–17:00 Christina Gkreka and Marianthi Grizioti: “Constructionism Meets Design Thinking: Reflection-in-action During Digital Game Design”
    - 17:00–17:30 Yannis Mygdanis: “Digital Little Music Makers: Designing and Implementing an Innovative Educational Music Proposal Embodying the Concept of 'Making'”
- 18:30–20:30 [ETH HG “Dozentenfoyer”] Conference Dinner
Wednesday, 25. June
- 8:00–9:00 [ETH HG Foyer] Check-in
- - 9:00–10:30 [ETH HG E 7, Chair: Valentina Dagienė] Full Paper Session 3.1
    - 9:00–9:30 Safinah Ali: “Designing AI Tools to Support Art Learning”
    - 9:30–10:00 Francesca Fiore, Agnese del Zozzo, Giorgia Bissoli, Giulia Paludo, David M. Zikovitz, Marta Valentini, and Alberto Montresor: “Building a Constructionist Community - Expanding an Academic Learning Lab Beyond Institutional Boundaries”
    - 10:00–10:30 Barbara Göbl: “Pre-Service Teachers’ Perspectives On and Strategies For Assessment of Computational Empowerment-based Projects”
  - 9:00–10:30 [ETH HG G 3, Chair: Marianthi Grizioti] Full Paper Session 3.2 “Making and Innovation in Constructionist Learning”
    - 9:00–9:30 Eliton Moura, Mirtes Guimarães, Bianca Borges, and José Valente: “Maker Activity in the Classroom: Solving Pedagogical Challenges”
    - 9:30–10:00 Regina Célia Fortuna Broti Gavassa and Maria Elisabeth Bianconcini de Almeida: “The Conceptions of Freire and Papert Within the City of São Paulo Curriculum and the Repurpose of Constructionism in Pedagogical Practices”
    - 10:00–10:30 Maria-Stella Nikolaou and Chronis Kynigos: “From Novice Players to Creative Designers: A Constructionist Attempt with SorBET”
- - Emre Dayangaç, Mehmet Bener, and Sedat Yalçın: “Parametrix: A Novel Approach to Teaching Parametric Design in K12 and Digital Fabrication Education”
  - Uwe Geisler: “Constructing Dienes Blocks With Magnetic Cubes – A Preschool Game”
  - Yuval Segev, Yotam Hod, and Shiri Kashi: “Where is This Ship Going? Insights From Early Stages of Infrastructuring Maker Education”
  - Charikleia Korompli: “Exploring Meanings Around Inscribability Through Collaborative Programming and Modeling”
  - Haruna Nakayama, Kazutoyo Takata, and Daiya Aida: “Creative Deviation: Assessing Originality in Learner-Centered Learning Through Contemporary Art Evaluation Perspectives”
  - Kaan Tabağ, Mehmet Bener, Emre Dayangaç, Pelin Başyurt, Irmak Üreten, and Sedat Yalçın: “TESTUDO: A Robotics Kit Evolving into an AI-Driven Companion”
  - Tobias M. Schifferle and Nina Kollegger: “Inclusion in Action: Fostering Empathy and Creativity With the Project A Contest”
  - Mirek Hančl and Bernadette Spieler: “IXME: Informatics By Maker Education”
  - Eva Korae: “The Laser As a STEAM Engine”
  - Konstantina Kotsari and Zacharoula Smyrnaiou: “Fostering Creativity and Inclusion: Integrating Constructionist Learning with Artificial Intelligence For Special Education”
  - Manuela Dahinden, Yvonne Steinbach, Caroline Weckerle, and Bernadette Spieler: “Nature-based Constructionism”
  - Christie Haddad, Abhinand Shibu, Eirini Geraniou, Sokratis Karkalas, and Manolis Mavrikis: “Towards MathsBeats: A Constructionist Approach Combining Music, Movement, Coding and Mathematics in Primary Classrooms”
  - Veronica Gomes, Thais Eastwood Vaine, and Gabriela Breviglieri: “Teacher Training Mediated by Creative Learning - A Mechanism to Promote Constructionist Education Among Teachers and Students”
  - Blake Danzig, Emmy Semprun, Nathan Holbert, J.K. Voorhis, and Isabel Correa: “Supporting Constructionist Maker Environments with Multimodal AI”
- - 13:00–14:30 [ETH HG D 5.1] Workshop 2.1, Thais Eastwood Vaine and Verônica Gomes dos Santos: “The Power of Questioning: Designing Thought-Provoking Questions That Foster Constructionist Learning”
  - 13:00–14:30 [ETH HG E 21] Workshop 2.2, Victor Minces, Hortense Gerardo, and Akshay Nagarajan: “Ludic Sonata. A Polyphonic Participatory Experience”
  - 13:00–14:30 [ETH HG D 5.3] Workshop 2.3, Chronis Kynigos, Marianthi Grizioti, Myrto Karavakou, Maria-Stella Nikolaou, Christina Gkreka, and Charikleia Korompli: “ChoiCo, SorBET, MaLT2: Building Computational Thinking Experiences”
- - 15:00–16:30 [ETH HG D 5.1] Workshop 3.1, Christian Renggli and Nina Knecht: “Bridging the Digital and Drama: Creating Interactive Theater With Micro:bit and Digital Props As a Tool For Co-creating Drama Scenes”
  - 15:00–16:30 [ETH HG D 5.3] Workshop 3.2, Fatmir Racipi and Stephanie Eugster: “Introducing Beginners to Making: Spaces, Methods, and Hands-on Approaches”
  - 15:00–16:30 [ETH HG E 21] Workshop 3.3, Gary Stager: “Microworlds and Programming Microworlds as Vehicles For Learning”
- Participants of Constructionism 2025 can sign up for workshops of the Swiss Day for Computer Science Education (“Schweizer Tag für Informatikunterricht,” STIU 2025). To this end, please register to STIU. You can specify four workshop priorities and will be assigned to two by the STIU organizers. Three of the STIU workshops are contributed by Constructionism participants:
  - Larissa Meyer-Baron: S4. “From Play to Code”
  - Kunal Massé and Francesco Mondada: S6. “Debugging Assessment Workshop”
  - Tobias M. Schifferle: S10. “Code, Create, Collaborate”
  You can also sign up for other ones. Please note, however, that some of the workshops are held in German, and that the target audience are (to a large extent) CS teachers.
  
  Moreover, it may happen that we cannot assign everyone to a workshop, in which case we will notice you.
  The STIU workshop slots are at the same times as those of Constructionism Workshop Sessions 2 and 3, and they take place in the same building.
  
  If you decide to participate in STIU workshops, please do not sign up for Constructionism workshops in these slots.
  
  Last, but not least: consider taking part in the plenary session of STIU 2025 where we award the ABZ medal to institutions and people contributing to CS education, and announce the winners of the 2025 finals of the Informatics Beaver Competition.
- Participants of Constructionism 2025 are invited to join us for the plenary session of the the Swiss Day Computer Science Education (“Schweizer Tag für Informatikunterricht,” STIU 2025).
  
  Join us and the rector of ETH when we award ABZ medal to personalities and institutions, who made a significant contribution to Computer Science Education.
  
  Another highlight is the ceremony of the finals of the Informatics Beaver Competition.
Thursday, 26. June
- 8:00–9:00 [PHZH LAA / Reception] Check-in
- 9:00–9:30 [PHZH LAA J002C] Barbara Kohlstock: Welcome to Constructionism 2025
- 9:30–10:30 [PHZH LAA J002C, Chair: Bernadette Spieler] Engin Bumbacher, Keynote: “Makerspaces in Teacher Education as Hubs for (Re)Designing Learning and Teaching”
- 11:00–13:30 [PHZH LAA J002C] Tobias Schifferle and Adrian Degonda: Barcamp
- - 15:00–16:30 [PHZH LAA K020] Workshop 4.1, Gary Stager: “Why and How to Teach Logo Programming to Children, At the Dawn Of the AI Age”
  - 15:00–16:30 [PHZH LAA M021] Workshop 4.2, Giorgia Bissoli, Agnese Del Zozzo, Francesca Fiore, Alberto Montresor, Giulia Paludo, Marta Valentini, and David Zikovitz: “Never Have I Ever... Struggled to Explain Constructionism (and What to do About It!)”
  - 15:00–16:30 [PHZH LAA J012] Workshop 4.3, Stéphane Magnenat: “Bringing Linting and Adaptive Program Completion to Candli, a Visual Game Programming Environment for Children”
  - 15:00–16:30 [PHZH LAA K041] Workshop 4.4, Jens Moenig: “The Well-Tempered Noise”
- 18:00–20:00 Social Events
Friday, 27. June
- 8:00–9:00 [PHZH LAA / Reception] Check-in
- - 9:00–10:40 [PHZH LAA J002C, Chair: Antigoni Parmaxi] Short Paper Session 1.1 “Sustainable Practices in Constructionist Education”
    - 9:00–9:20 Nusarin Nusen: “Creating a Sustainable Constructionist Society With Generative Social Field”
    - 9:20–9:40 Lawrence Farrugia Caruana, Leonard Busuttil, Jacqueline Żammit, Antigoni Parmaxi, Eirini Christou, Andri Ioannou, Stella Timotheou, Sonia Rodríguez Cano, Vanesa Delgado Benito, Cynthia Lizeth Ramos Monsivais, and Laura Alonso Martínez: “Children As Creators Of Augmented Reality Stories: A Constructionist Approach to Language Learning”
    - 9:40–10:00 Robin Samuelsson, Olcay Sert, and Helena Tegler: “Designing For Computational Collaboration: Using a Storyboard Educational Design to Scaffold Collaborative Coding For Childhood Education”
    - 10:00–10:20 J.K. Voorhis and Paulo Blikstein: “Youth Constructions Of the Future: Depictions Of and Responses to AI On Scratch”
    - 10:20–10:40 Zacharoula Smyrnaiou and Konstantina Kotsari: “Shaping the Future: Greece’s Innovation Centers As Hubs For Sustainable Practices in Constructionist Education”
  - 9:00–11:00 [PHZH LAA K020, Chair: Alexander Repenning] Short Paper Session 1.2 “Innovative Assessment and Evaluation Methods” and “Evolution of Constructionism: Past, Present, and Future”
    - 9:00–9:20 Petra Francesca Weixelbraun, Barbara Göbl, and Mirjam Duvivié: “Game Character Design As a Mirror Of Student Perceptions: A Creative Method For Reflection and Assessment In Educational Settings”
    - 9:20–9:40 Ilya Levin, Alexei Semenov, and Mikael Gorsky: “Papert’s Vision Realized: Constructionism and Generative AI”
    - 9:40–10:00 Gary Stager: “Papert, Parables, and the Future of Constructionism — A Constructionist Call for Action”
    - 10:00–10:20 Ken Kahn and Sylvia Libow Martinez: “The Constructionist Role of Programming in the AI Era”
    - 10:20–10:40 Claudia Corriveau and Ivanhoé Moisan: “Designing Manipulatives As Microworld-Making: A Reflective Approach to Enhancing a Course Through Pre-Service Teachers' Contributions”
    - 10:40–11:00 Víctor Eugenio Ramírez-Mazariegos and Ana Isabel Sacristán: “Exploring and Developing Geometric Ideas Related to the Concept of Angle Through a Sequence of Microworlds Using Various Digital Tools”
  - 9:00–11:00 [PHZH LAA L021, Chair: Engin Bumbacher] Short Paper Session 1.3 “Making and Innovation in Constructionist Learning”
    - 9:00–9:20 Peter Mozelius: “AI Enhanced Constructionism for Educational Game Design”
    - 9:20–9:40 Andri Ioannou, Chrystalleni Loizidou, Dishita Turakhia, Sherry Lassiter, and Stefanie Mueller: “Maker Education and STEM+ In the Context of Contemporary Constructionism: Iterative Resilience and Community”
    - 9:40–10:00 Irmak Ureten, Kaan Tabag, Ahmet Burhan Bas, and Sedat Yalcin: “Bridging Theoretical and Applied Mechanics by Integration of Augmented Reality: Automata”
    - 10:00–10:20 Aravind Sai Sarathy and Peter Wardrip: “A Constructionist Approach to Note-taking”
    - 10:20–10:40 Leah Rosenbaum, Paulo Blikstein, and Engin Bumbacher: “Making to Empower Teacher Problem Posing and Design: Digital Fabrication Skills and Interdisciplinary Community of Practice Help Teachers Address Classroom Problems”
    - 10:40–11:00 Carolina Sotério and Paulo Blikstein: “Lab-on-a-Book: A Paper-Based Chemistry Kit for Hands-on Science Learning in Under-Resourced Schools”
- - 11:30–12:30 [PHZH LAA J002C, Chair: Lawrence Farrugia Caruana] Full Paper Session 4.1
    - 11:30–12:00 Filiz Mumcu, Manolis Mavrikis, Sokratis Karkalas, Christina Gkreka, Charikleia Korompli, Dimitris Diamantidis, and Zsolt Lavicza: “Designing Feedback for Exploratory Mathematical Activities: A Computational Thinking Perspective”
    - 12:00–12:30 Christina Gkreka and Chronis Kynigos: “Coding Landmarks: A Programming Approach to Spatial Thinking”
  - 11:30–12:30 [PHZH LAA L021, Chair: Ana Isabel Sacristán] Full Paper Session 4.2 “Making and Innovation in Constructionist Learning”
    - 11:30–12:00 Lana Issa and Ralf Romeike: “Empowering K-12 Students with Computational Creativity: A Constructionist Computational Creativity Model”
    - 12:00–12:30 Justice Walker and Emmanuel Schanzer (presented by Engin Bumbacher): “Twenty Constructionist Things to Do With Data Science”
- 13:00–14:00 [LAA M021]: “Quo Vadis, Constructionism”
- - 14:00–15:20 [PHZH LAA J002C, Chair: Chronis Kynigos] Full Paper Session 5.1
    - 14:00–14:30 Alexander Repenning: “From TikTok to Hard Fun: Progressive Engagement in Computational Thinking Through Game Design”
    - 14:30–15:00 Maria Carolina Mariano, Ligia Ribeiro, and Marina Mariano: “Agroforestry in the School – The Perfect Classroom: Constructionism, Environmental Literacy, and Biotechnology In a School in Brazil”
    - 15:00–15:20 Leah Rosenbaum and Paulo Blikstein: “Making Sensor Data Dear: Accessible Sensing Platforms as Conduits to Localized, Personally Meaningful Data Science” (short paper)
  - 14:00–15:00 [PHZH LAA K020, Chair: Kayla DesPortes] Full Paper Session 5.2
    - 14:00–14:30 Yudi Andrea Ortiz Rocha, Ana Isabel Sacristán, and Ivonne Sandoval: “Spatial Reasoning Experiences In a STEM context: 8 Year-old Disadvantaged Children Exploring Earthquakes and Related Phenomena”
    - 14:30–15:00 Bernadette Spieler, Melanie Kieber, Julia Lanz, Harald Burgsteiner, Sandra Tomeschek, Martin Kandlhofer, Luciana Ayciriex, and Karl Kruusamae: “Constructionism As a Key to Interdisciplinary Competences: Combining Computational Thinking, Entrepreneurship, and Green Skills”
- 15:25–16:30 [PHZH LAA J002C, Chair: Antigoni Parmaxi] Panayiotis Zaphiris, Keynote: “Constructionism and Higher Education Leadership”
- 16:30–17:00 Closing

Conference Dinner

The conference dinner will take place after the first day of the conference, on Tuesday, 18:30, at the “Dozentenfoyer” of ETH Zurich. On the top of its main building, in which the conference will be located for the first two days, the “Dozentenfoyer” offers a view over Zurich that is simply unbeatable.

The small restaurant is essentially a roof terrace, which on a sunny day allows its visitors to see deep into the alps.

Dinner is included in the conference fees and will be served as a buffet, with vegetarian and vegan options being available.

Social Events

The social events take place at 18:00 on Thursday, 26 June, 2025. You can pick one from the following.

Focus Terra Earthquake Simulator

Have you ever wondered, where and how earthquakes are triggered? What exactly moves in the subsurface and why? In an introductory presentation, we discuss recent earthquakes as well as the earthquake activity in Switzerland. In the permanent exhibition, we then explore the causes of earthquakes, watch tectonic plates move throughout our planet’s history and talk about the scientific value of quakes. In the simulator you will experience earthquakes in a safe environment and learn what to do in a case of emergency.

Wurzeln schlagen (in German)

Nicolas Gabriel stammt aus einer Lehrerfamilie, durchläuft eine akademische Laufbahn und schliesst ein Jurastudium ab. Trotzdem verliert er aufgrund einer psychischen Erkrankung den Anschluss an die Gesellschaft und lebt 16 Jahre lang als Obdachloser – mitten in Zürich.

Auf seiner Tour schildert er, welche Faktoren zu seiner psychischen Erkrankung beigetragen haben und dass man dadurch oft nicht nur seine Arbeitsstelle verliert, sondern auch seine engsten Mitmenschen.

Er beschreibt, wie gross die Hürde ist, von der Obdachlosigkeit wieder zurück in einen geregelten Alltag zu finden. Er erzählt vom kräftezehrenden Alltag draussen, vom Überleben mit wenigen Franken am Tag, von Strategien gegen Kälte und innere Dämonen, aber auch von Geschenken der Natur.

Kraftspendendes erlebt Nicolas immer wieder beim Surprise-Verkauf oder in der Literatur. Die Zentralbibliothek Zürich gibt ihm in all den Jahren auf der Strasse Rückzug, ein Dach über dem Kopf – und, was für ihn besonders wichtig ist: eine geistige Heimat.

Dada Art Movement Tour

The Dada art movement began in Zurich. On this fascinating city tour, lovers of Dadaism will find out how all the various artists, writers and performance artists found their way to Zurich – and how they turned the city on its head.

In 1916, exiled artists gathered in Zurich´s then disreputable Niederdorf district. Just a few meters from where Lenin was living in exile, Hugo Ball and his future wife Emmy Hennings established the legendary artist hangout Cabaret Voltaire, which welcomed all people, styles and schools of thought.

The Dadaists – as they began calling themselves – experimented with sound poems and simultaneous poems, collages and photo montages, and were undoubtedly the most international, noisiest and probably also the most innovative artists of their day.

From Zurich, they conquered the world with their humorous and ironic artworks and inspired subsequent movements like surrealism and pop art. The Dada city tour will introduce you to the initiators and show you where they used to hang out in Zurich.

Art on Campus

ETH Zurich owns some 300 works of art, mainly by Swiss artists. On this tour, you’ll discover murals, sculptures and works of art on buildings by Harald Naegeli, Augusto Giacometti, Max Bill, Sylvie Fleury and others. Explore the tension between exact science and ambiguous art.

Zurich Old Town Walking Tour

The most popular tour through Zurich´s historic old town offers fascinating insights into the city´s colorful history.

With its unique mixture of history, culture and impressive architecture Zurich’s Old Town is an alluring place.

This approximately two-hour tour leads through picturesque alleyways, past historic buildings and offers a fascinating insight into the development of the city.

Starting at Zurich Main Station, crossing the famous Bahnhofstrasse, continuing up to Lindenhof and down to the Grossmünster church – each site tells its own story. Exciting anecdotes about the pioneer Alfred Escher, the Romans in Zurich or the Reformation era make the tour a unique experience.

The city tour brings to life Zurich’s past with all its highlights. Perfect for all those who want to discover the city’s history from a new perspective.

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 at a private Greek elementary school for 30 weeks. 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 imported 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.

This interactive workshop explores the transformative potential of effective questioning as a catalyst for student engagement and a key element in reimagining curriculum, connecting it more deeply to learners' lives. Participants will engage in practical activities, learning how 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 at every stage of Creative Learning, the session focuses on developing effective questions that promote constructionist education within regular classrooms. The workshop follows a dynamic five-part structure: Welcoming, Imagining, Creating, Sharing, and Reflecting & Reimagining. The Welcoming segment will connect participants and introduce the workshop's objectives, highlighting the importance of questioning in constructionist education. During the Imagining phase, participants will collaborate in small groups to develop question sequences related to a specific curricular theme, fostering student learning and project-based engagement. The Creating phase provides dedicated time for collaborative question development. A Sharing session, structured as a World Café, will allow groups to exchange their questions and insights. Finally, the Reflecting & Reimagining segment will delve into strategies and frameworks for formulating powerful questions, including thinking routines and connections to constructionism. Participants will reflect on their own pedagogical practices and create personalized frameworks for crafting effective questions, which they will then share. All workshop materials and participant creations will be captured and made available on a Padlet, enabling continued exploration of question development strategies. This workshop will benefit educators by providing them with practical tools and strategies to enhance student engagement, promote deeper learning, and foster a more inquiry-driven classroom environment.

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.

Surat Tanprasertkul, Puthyrom Tep and Watchara Thitayanuwat
The Influence of Constructionist Learning Environments on the Development of Global Citizenship Education Among K-12 Students
While theoretical studies suggest that constructionist learning environments can cultivate skills essential to Global Citizenship Education (GCE), empirical research exploring this intersection is limited. This study investigates how constructionist learning environments impact the development of GCE among K-12 students. A qualitative research design, focusing on document analysis, was employed. A total of 177 student project reports generated over a one-year period during the 2023 academic year were collected. Trimester 1 included 51 projects (28.81%), Trimester 2 contained 53 projects (29.94%), and Trimester 3 encompassed 73 projects (41.24%). Through thematic analysis of the project titles, abstracts, and keywords, 150 representative codes were identified. The findings revealed that four distinct themes emerged: Environmental Sustainability, Technological Innovation, Social Responsibility, and Cultural Awareness. This study contributes to the growing body of research at the intersection of constructionism and GCE. By integrating constructionist methodologies into K-12 curricula, educators and policymakers can create transformative learning experiences that prepare students to act as informed and empathetic global citizens.
James Fey, Raquel Breejon Robinson, Shannon Campe and Katherine Isbister
Reflections and Facilitator Best Practices From a Collaborative Educational Live Action Roleplay Camp
This paper examines the importance of facilitation in youth constructionist learning environments, presenting best practices developed through an educational live-action roleplay (edu-larp) curriculum for middle school-aged youth. Drawing on four pilot deployments, we identify strategies for training facilitators in improvisation, role-play, and technical troubleshooting to ensure alignment with constructionist values. We detail how these practices were scaled and supported through the development of training materials and resources for a camp-in-a-box adaptation. Key findings highlight the need for active engagement in role-play during training, the value of adaptable resources, and the effectiveness of narrative framing in motivating STEM engagement. This work contributes to understanding how facilitation practices can enhance informal learning experiences and provides insights into scaling such practices effectively.
Emanuel Felipe Duarte, M. Cecilia C. Baranauskas and José A. Valente
Extending Computational Thinking: Embodied Learning Through Socioenactive Scenarios
Although not always understood in the same way, the ideas of Computational Thinking have gained attention from policymakers in curriculum educational fields, particularly in primary math and K-12 education around the world, as necessary 21st-century skills to foster children’s competence in problem-solving. In this work we argue that since its reappearance, many transformations have happened in the computational and social contexts, which make us rethink the literacies regarding computer-based environments. In this paper we extend the idea of computational thinking with a socioenactive perspective to computing, which considers a tripartite coupling of the physical, the digital and the social dimensions of ubiquitous computing based environments. We illustrate aspects of a socioenactive computational thinking with an analysis of two different scenarios. Results point out some aspects to be resumed from the origins of constructionism (for example, project action and body syntonicity) and others to be included in the subject (for example, sense-making, body affectivity and intersubjectivity).

Everton B. Bertaglia, Igor M. Pereira, Álvaro C. L. Rios, Efigênia M. P. Silva and Felipe B. Dias
Competency-Based Self-Assessment in Project-Based Learning: An Application of NPDL Framework in São Paulo
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.
Manon Mostert-van der Sar and Peter Troxler
Is There an Open End in Open Badges? Experiences From a Maker Lab
This paper explores the application of Edubadges, a form of microcredentials, in a higher education maker lab in [ANONYMIZED]. Leveraging the principles of constructionism, these badges serve as tools to assess and certify students’ extracurricular skills acquisition. The study examines the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition to create a tiered system of competency levels for badges, offering a scalable and dynamic evaluation framework. Results highlight the motivational impact of Edubadges and their potential to foster lifelong learning, alongside challenges in implementation, inclusivity, and system design. As a work-in-progress, this study contributes to the discussion on innovative assessment methods such as open badges within the open-ended philosophy of constructionism by presenting a constructionist open badge implementation that is designed to empower students’ deep engagement with creative technologies through documenting and reflecting on their own progress.
Marianthi Grizioti and Chronis Kynigos
Extending Constructionist Media With Emerging Digital Technologies For Critical Computational Thinking
The rapid development of emerging technologies, such as 3D printing and Augmented Reality (AR), has opened new possibilities for learning. However, their integration into educational settings often lacks a strong pedagogical foundation. This paper explores how the extension of existing, already institutionalized and deeply studied digital expressive media, with emerging technologies can enrich computational learning and foster Critical Computational Thinking (CCT) practices. In that scope, we have extended a Logo-based programming tool with 3D printing and two game design environments with AR affordances and explored how this integration can enable a critical engagement with computational thinking activities. We present three case studies, where students engaged in design thinking projects using these enhanced tools. Our analysis reveals that emerging technologies enabled students to question computational designs, connect coding to real-world issues of their local community, and engage in iterative prototyping of multiple solutions. Findings suggest that emerging technologies, when meaningfully incorporated into constructionist tools, can foster deeper engagement with computational thinking while promoting critical reflection on digital artifacts and social issues.

Krithik Ranjan, Anika Mahajan, Rishi Vanukuru and Ellen Yi-Luen Do
The Design Space of Tangible Interfaces for Computational Tinkerability
Tangible interfaces offer a powerful approach for engaging learners in computational experiences, fostering intuitive, collaborative, and constructionist-driven learning. This work explores the landscape of tangible interfaces for computational tinkering — tools and interfaces that immerse learners in computational learning in a playful and open-ended format. We surveyed and analyzed 33 research projects to highlight the contexts they engage learners with their use of tangible interaction (tangibility) and the open-endedness or expressivity offered by the interfaces. Based on our survey, we develop a design space of tangible computational tinkering interfaces. Our findings (1) showcase the diversity of learning goals and creative opportunities in tinkering interfaces, (2) set forth a taxonomy of tangible interaction they utilize and (3) define a spectrum to examine the tinkerability of such interfaces. This design space provides insights for researchers, designers, and educators to explore the landscape of tangible, open-ended learning experiences and inform their future development.
Chris Proctor, Yeshi Paljor and Varun Bhatt
Permeable media: A Design Strategy for Constructionist Software
This paper introduces a design strategy called permeable media for software used in Constructionist approaches to introductory computer science education. Permeable media is characterized by three qualities: it invites learners to extend themselves into the medium, it has affordances for learners to make the medium part of themselves, and it supports learners in growing beyond the medium when they are ready to do so. This paper joins a long tradition of design for Constructionist learning environments, emphasizing two principles which have not been emphasized in the prior literature: incorporating media into one’s identity and embodiment, and support for growing beyond the medium. This paper illustrates permeable media by analyzing the design of Banjo, a software package which allows beginners to create web applications. The final sections theorize the relationship between permeable media and computational literacies and propose a research agenda based on this paper’s conceptualization of permeable media.
Maria Florencia Morado, Ayelen Eva Melo and Angela Jarman
Building Learning Experiences: The Transformative Power of Constructionist Makerspaces in Holistic Child Development
This case study explores the educational potential of a constructivist makerspace, analyzing its impact on a child's development across multiple dimensions: cognitive, creative, and intrapersonal competencies. Through engaging with analog and digital tools, the child advanced from basic problem-solving tasks to complex projects requiring conceptual understanding and technological integration. The findings highlight how iterative design processes, guided by constructivist principles, foster critical thinking, creativity, and learning autonomy. Although the single-case design limits more general applications, the study offers practical insights into strategies that enhance engagement and holistic skill development in student-centered learning environments like educational makerspaces.

Christina Charalambidou
Cultivating Creativity in Teacher Education: A Strategic Informal Approach to Music and Early-Childhood Pedagogy
Music education is widely recognized for its cognitive and emotional benefits, making it a significant focus of educational research. However, many educators, particularly those in primary and early childhood 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 negatively impact the frequency and quality of musical experiences offered to students, depriving them of developmental benefits such as enhanced cognitive and emotional growth. To address this issue, a balanced approach to educator preparation is needed—one that combines theoretical understanding with practical, experiential learning to build both music skills and teaching. The present article explores how constructionist principles can inspire early childhood preservice teachers to incorporate the insights and advantages of music education into their pedagogy. I employed an approach I have developed called the Strategic Informal Approach (SIA), which is grounded in Mitchel Resnick’s (2007) “Creative Learning Spiral, “ and Design-based Research (DbR) methodology. The intervention focused on collaborative music creation, participatory practices, and experiential learning to develop musical and pedagogical competencies while fostering positive attitudes toward music teaching. In this study, the Strategic informal Approach was applied in university 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. These findings emphasize the potential of experiential and constructionist approaches to transform music education practices, offering valuable insights for preparing future educators.
Christina Gkreka and Marianthi Grizioti
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 that addressed real-life issues from daily or professional life following the Design Thinking Methodology. 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.
Yannis Mygdanis
Digital Little Music Makers: Designing and Implementing an Innovative Educational Music Proposal Embodying the Concept of “Making”
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 at a private Greek elementary school for 30 weeks. 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 imported 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.

Safinah Ali
Designing AI Tools to Support Art Learning
The ability of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to provide personalized feedback to creators, co-create media with artists, and enable artists to reflect on their creative style, makes them effective facilitators of art learning. Principles of constructionism highlight the importance of open-ended creative environments for enabling creative expression in young learners, yet there exist few accessible creative playgrounds that are safe for young learners to create with AI. Guided by design principles of constructionism, creativity support and accessibility, we designed four web-based AI-enabled creative tools that support art learning for middle and high school art learners and educators. These tools were administered to 94 middle and high school students as part of an Art and AI learning summer program. We outline the design principles guiding the development of these tools, their system design features and learnings from deploying these tools with middle and high school learners. These designing insights serve as guiding principles for Creative AI tool designers and K-12 art educators.
Francesca Fiore, Agnese del Zozzo, Giorgia Bissoli, Giulia Paludo, David M. Zikovitz, Marta Valentini and Alberto Montresor
Building a Constructionist Community - Expanding an Academic Learning Lab Beyond Institutional Boundaries
While Constructionism has demonstrated its effectiveness as a powerful educational approach that leverages technology to enhance learning in diverse environments, its broader adoption is often hindered by the traditional structures of schools and the perceived radical nature of its principles. A key challenge that any constructionist research group must address is how to effectively promote the innovative practices of constructionism to a wider audience and facilitate their integration into mainstream education. To address this challenge, our constructionist lab has developed an innovative collaboration model to connect academia with the regional educational ecosystem. Our objective is to cultivate a thriving constructionist community that extends beyond the lab's research activities, bringing together schools, educational organizations, and, most importantly, the educators who shape them. The model is built on partnerships with nonprofits to expand academia's influence beyond institutional boundaries, combining the strengths of each: the university contributes through the development of innovative content, formal teacher training, and robust evaluation of both immediate and long-term impacts on students and educators; nonprofit organizations offer the flexibility and reach to deliver educational initiatives to local communities, including those in remote and underserved areas. Moreover, nonprofits bring a deep connection to the local needs, leveraging their presence and direct engagement in the region to co-construct initiatives from the ground up, ensuring relevance and impact. The contribution of this study is to provide insights into the replicability of this collaboration model, offering a framework that other institutions can adapt to promote constructionist methodologies in diverse educational contexts. By promoting collaboration among educators, researchers, and nonprofit organizations, this initiative serves as a scalable approach to driving meaningful and sustainable transformations in teaching and learning practices.
Barbara Göbl
Pre-Service Teachers’ Perspectives On and Strategies For Assessment of Computational Empowerment-based Projects
Contemporary challenges in an increasingly complex and digitalized world call for corresponding measures in education. Computational Empowerment (CE) applies ideas inherent to participatory design and Constructionist learning in order to promote digital literacy and a critical, creative, hands-on approach to engage with digital technology. However, integrating CE into formal education presents challenges. This paper focuses on two key barriers: assessment difficulties and the limited role of CE in teacher education, both of which hinder its adoption in schools. To explore these issues, the paper analyzes 17 student reflections on assessing CE-based projects. It examines students’ assessment strategies, including criteria, methods and issues, and identifies steps to better integrate CE into teacher education. Based on these findings, the paper highlights key challenges and proposes strategies for advancing CE in educational settings.

Eliton Moura, Mirtes Silva, Bianca Borges and José Valente
Maker Activity in the Classroom: Solving Pedagogical Challenges
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.
Regina Célia Fortuna Broti Gavassa and Maria Elisabeth Bianconcini de Almeida
The Conceptions of Freire and Papert Within the City of São Paulo Curriculum and the Repurpose of Constructionism in Pedagogical Practices
To meet the learning demands of students of this era, complex and digital, full of risks and possibilities, a curricular document, specific to the use of digital technologies in basic education schools tied to the education network of São Paulo, Brazil, was created. Its conception had in consideration the utilization history of digital technologies during the elaboration of the curricular proposal, and focused on the organization of the content structured in learning objectives. The development of this proposal’s actions makes itself feasible by preparing educators for this challenge, to reflect on the transformation of spaces, and to change concepts and relations between the factors that favor and the ones that involve students in the learning process. The purpose of this article is to understand how the constructionist theory was adapted by the Rede Municipal de Ensino and how it was repurposed in the educational practices and to show the presence of elements of Papert’s constructionism and Freire’s humanizing pedagogy. This involves two strands of analysis: bibliographical and documentary, through the examination of artifacts produced by students and the formative methodologies. The results highlight the adoption of constructivism as the educational foundation that promotes doing and learning through the experimentation of technologies, consequently transforming the learning process.
Maria-Stella Nikolaou and Chronis Kynigos
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 platform 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 of the same tool: 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 foster a fluid, collaborative dynamic, while traditional interfaces encourage structured, verbal negotiation. 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.

Filiz Mumcu, Manolis Mavrikis, Sokratis Karkalas, Christina Gkreka, Chara Korompli, Dimitris Diamantidis and Zsolt Lavicza
Designing Feedback for Exploratory Mathematical Activities: A Computational Thinking Perspective
Exploratory learning environments (ELEs) enhance constructivist learning by allowing students to manipulate parameters and observe outcomes, improving learning through student-centred experiences. Programming is valuable for exploratory mathematical activities while integrating problem-solving and debugging. Computational thinking (CT), recognized as vital in math education, closely aligns with problem-solving and is increasingly integrated into global curricula. However, challenges remain in effectively incorporating CT into teaching, especially designing and assessing exploratory activities. This study addresses these by developing and evaluating a prototype incorporating CT as a scaffolding framework for feedback design in exploratory math activities involving programming. The prototype merges the MaLT2 programming environment, inspired by Papert’s turtle geometry, with AuthELO, an authorable feedback design system. MaLT2 aids mathematical understanding through programming, while AuthELO offers real-time, context-aware feedback based on students’ interactions. We design a feedback mechanism that applies CT components to guide learners in open-ended tasks. Qualitative data from a semi-structured focus group with educators reveals that they appreciate CT-based feedback for its relevance to math and programming, though they struggle with abstraction. Participants indicated a need for specific and motivating feedback, emphasizing the balance between guidance and exploratory learning. The study highlights the importance of authorable feedback systems and CT's role in enhancing math understanding in exploratory math activities involving programming. This study promotes innovative feedback methods for incorporating CT into mathematics education via exploratory learning environments.
Christina Gkreka and Chronis Kynigos
Coding Landmarks: A Programming Approach to Spatial Thinking
While previous research has identified a correlation between spatial thinking and programming, little attention has been given to how programming can explicitly support students’ spatial reasoning. This study explores the role of programming as a scaffold in supporting spatial reasoning and conceptualisation among primary students while they navigate the digitally simulated space within a programming microworld. Using a design-based research approach, we analyse how programming activity guided students’ wayfinding in the digitally simulated space and supported the development of spatial concepts, providing them with the means to deploy computational thinking practices, like debugging, problem decomposition, and abstraction to spatial problem solving.

Lana Issa and Ralf Romeike
Empowering K-12 Students with Computational Creativity: A Constructionist Computational Creativity Model
Recent developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) are not only transforming society but are also increasingly shaping educa-tional 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 environ-ments 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 reflec-tion on creativity across domains. The CCC model thus offers a structured approach to integrating AI education into creative learning processes.
Justice Walker and Emmanuel Schanzer
Twenty Constructionist Things to Do With Data Science
Building on Seymour Papert and Cynthia Solomon’s 1971 memo on “Twenty Things to Do with a Computer,” we consider burgeoning areas of data science as a context to affirm and extend constructionist tenets concerning the power of material production in learning. Like Papert and Solomon’s original treatise about computing, our considerations are motivated by the reality that much of the developmental and learning benefits of engaging with data remain out of reach for youth. Consistent with their argument, we suggest this is not because of any requisite complexity or skill but because education fields appear reluctant to progress toward more generative stances about what it means to learn from material features of data, which are distinctly emphasized in data science. The twenty things we highlight include a variety of topic contexts and epistemic pathways learners can pursue when engaging with data as material for generative inquiry and production. The things are meant to highlight what data materiality means from a constructionist viewpoint—and how data as a science might help us nuance these conceptualizations. This includes more critical consideration of the myriad ways material production fruitfully reflects learner priorities and, consequently, the social and cultural tensions accompanying outcomes. We discuss these observations in terms of their implications for constructionism and learning.

Alexander Repenning
From TikTok to Hard Fun: Progressive Engagement in Computational Thinking Through Game Design
This paper examines how constructionist learning principles can be maintained in an era of shortened attention spans and passive content consumption. While TikTok's own research shows that 50% of users find videos over 60 seconds stressful, we demonstrate that meaningful creative engagement remains possible through carefully designed learning progressions. Using data from STEAM Discovery Fairs, we analyze how students across different grade levels and genders engage with RULER.game, a Computational Thinking Tool enabling rapid creation of programmable video game characters. Our findings reveal that while overall engagement levels were high, boys and girls derived enjoyment from different aspects - girls primarily from design elements and boys from programming components. The study demonstrates that by providing appropriate scaffolding and tools, students can quickly transition from passive consumers to active creators, even within perceived modern attention constraints. These results suggest that constructionist principles remain viable when learning designs thoughtfully balance cognitive and affective challenges while accounting for gender-specific preferences in creative computing activities.
Maria Carolina Mariano, Ligia Ribeiro and Marina Mariano
Agroforestry in the School – The Perfect Classroom: Constructionism, Environmental Literacy, and Biotechnology in a School in Brazil
This article demonstrates that agroforestry experiences transform relationships, stimulate critical thinking, and strengthen collective responsibility. The implementation of agroforestry at Casa Fundamental has proven to be a cornerstone for education that values students’ connections with natural environments and relies on cultivating the land for holistic development. The projects “Backyard Forest” and “Our Agroforestry is Tech!” illustrate this approach: the former extended learning by bringing agroforestry to a retirement home, creating a productive and accessible environment; the latter mobilized design, technology, and biotechnology knowledge to develop an automated irrigation system, highlighting the interconnection between innovation and natural resource preservation. Investigations into natural patterns—such as fractal geometry and biomimetics—broadened students’ mathematical perception, honed their analytical skills, and demonstrated that scientific inquiry can occur through art, technology, and sustainability.
Leah Rosenbaum and Paulo Blikstein
Making Sensor Data Dear: Accessible Sensing Platforms as Conduits to Localized, Personally Meaningful Data Science
As data become an increasing part of our lives, so data science education seeks to support youth in becoming critical consumers of data and authors of data-based claims. Relatively abstract sensor data can pose particular challenges for young people’s sense-making. We share youth work from a week-long, museum-based data science camp to illustrate the ways youth used portable, low-cost environmental sensors to situate explorations of sensor data in hyper-local contexts in their homes and communities. We also share challenges that some youth faced in translating their locally grounded curiosities into questions appropriate for sensor data research. Even as topics and technologies evolve, we position our findings as underscoring the continued relevance of constructionism’s commitment to personally meaningful projects that authentically reflect learners’ interests.

Yudi Andrea Ortiz Rocha, Ana Isabel Sacristán and Ivonne Sandoval
Spatial Reasoning Experiences In a STEM Context: 8 Year-old Disadvantaged Children Exploring Earthquakes and Related Phenomena
We present parts of a study that focused on the design and implementation of a learning trajectory in a STEM context for promoting spatial reasoning in 8 year-old disadvantaged children. The larger context of the learning trajectory was the earthquake phenomenon. It included tasks in which students built some concrete instruments (e.g., a seismograph) and structures, as well as used some digital tools (e.g., Google Maps, LightBot), in order to explore aspects related to the phenomenon (such as designing escape routes). By having authentic experiences and engaging in constructions, students were able to perceive or imagine and articulate different spatial sizes, experiment with different measurement strategies and use adequate measuring instruments for each spatial size.
Bernadette Spieler, Melanie Kieber, Julia Lanz, Harald Burgsteiner, Sandra Tomeschek, Martin Kandlhofer, Luciana Ayciriex and Karl Kruusamae
Constructionism As a Key to Interdisciplinary Competences: Combining Computational Thinking, Entrepreneurship, and Green Skills
One of the biggest challenges in education today is equipping learners with future-oriented skills that integrate technological advances, environmental sustainability, and entrepreneurial innovation. This paper, developed within the [removed for peer-review] project, presents a Consolidated Competence List that synthesizes key competences in 1) computational thinking (CT), 2) entrepreneurship education (EE) and innovation, and 3) green skills (GS), and social responsibility. Grounded in an in-depth literature review, existing frameworks, and a curriculum analysis, the Consolidated Competence List was further validated and refined through nine co-creation workshops across the partner countries, ensuring its practical relevance. A constructionist approach serves as the foundation for this work, emphasizing learning by doing and active exploration. This pedagogical framework enables the cross-curricular integration of CT, EE, and GS, fostering 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.

Nusarin Nusen
Creating a Sustainable Constructionist Society With Generative Social Field
Mitta Social Enterprise is an organization dedicated to expanding the impact of the Constructionism approach to education developed by Darunsikkhalai School for Innovative Learning. Currently, they are building upon this foundation by incorporating knowledge from Compassionate Systems. The DJOP Innovation 2023 project is one such initiative that implements Constructionism-based learning activities and cultivates Compassionate Systems thinking among participants. This is achieved through the creation of a generative social field for youth from 10 Juvenile Vocational Training Centers across the country. Findings from this project reveal that participants felt a sense of safety in the learning environment (Generative Social Field), which led to the realization that others valued them. This, in turn, fostered self-worth among the participants. They became more open to listening to their peers and actively shared ideas with one another. Additionally, they were able to reflect on their learning and connect the artifacts they created to their own life experiences. It is evident that Compassionate Systems enhances the reflection process inherent in Constructionism, making it more profound and connecting it to personal experiences and perspectives on life. This approach also fosters a friendly learning atmosphere, creating a sustainable learning community.
Lawrence Farrugia Caruana, Leonard Busuttil, Jacqueline Żammit, Antigoni Parmaxi, Eirini Christou, Andri Ioannou, Stella Timotheou, Sonia Rodríguez Cano, Vanesa Delgado Benito, Cynthia Lizeth Ramos Monsivais and Laura Alonso Martínez
Children as Creators Of Augmented Reality Stories: A Constructionist Approach to Language Learning
This paper investigates an Erasmus+ project entitled Children as Creators of Augmented Reality Stories (CARS), focusing on how children aged 10–12 create augmented reality stories for language learning, grounded in constructionist principles. We apply a SWOT analysis from teacher perspectives to highlight strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The literature review underscores the gap in child-driven augmented reality narrative creation, linking it to collaborative, hands-on learning processes. The proposed research design outlines iterative methods for capturing students’ experiences, language gains, and the practical demands of augmented reality implementation. Results aim to inform educators on best practices, emphasizing resource availability, assessment frameworks, and sustainability considerations. By offering a constructionist lens, the study addresses both theoretical and applied implications, contributing to the broader discourse on augmented reality-based educational innovation while ensuring practical feasibility in diverse contexts.
Robin Samuelsson, Olcay Sert and Helena Tegler
Designing For Computational Collaboration: Using a Storyboard Educational Design to Scaffold Collaborative Coding For Childhood Education
The current paper examines the multimodal and collaborative nature of young children’s educational interactions. The paper draws from a design-based project on 3-5-year-old children’s programming and hones in on the multimodal detail of children’s collaborative practices. We investigate video-recorded naturally occurring interactions during small group activities during which children learn programming while playing a storyboard-based game, using two analytical techniques to examine how coding sequences are solved. First, we examine how coding problems are solved overall during the project. Following this quantitative analysis of interactional conduct, we use multimodal conversation analysis to examine how collaborative coding unfolds in the intricate details of interaction, including gaze, gestures, and temporal aspects. Findings show how the storyboard fosters both individual scaffolds and collaborative solutions. The multimodal analysis unveils how collaborative coding by children consists of overlapping turns of interaction where children jointly solve sequencing problems using a range of embodied resources. The findings show how constructionism designs can foster collaborative, interactive solutions for young children’s situated coding activities.
J.K. Voorhis and Paulo Blikstein
Youth Constructions Of the Future: Depictions Of and Responses to AI On Scratch
This study examines how youth engage with AI through Scratch projects, revealing how they depict, critique, and reimagine futures with AI. Analyzing 131 projects and 22,692 comments, we identified five AI representations: Game Player, Conversational Agent, Learning Entity, Discussion Topic, and Creative Partner. Youth creators and commenters demonstrated active negotiation of AI’s meaning, envisioning futures where AI is playful, collaborative, or dystopian. Findings showcase the importance of constructionist learning environments for youths’ collaborative sensemaking about emergent technology.
Zacharoula Smyrnaiou and Konstantina Kotsari
Shaping the Future: Greece’s Innovation Centers As Hubs For Sustainable Practices in Constructionist Education
The article explores the transformative role of Greece's Innovation Centers (ICs) in promoting sustainable practices through constructionist education. Ics serve as collaborative hubs connecting schools, universities, local communities, and industries to foster STEM learning and environmental stewardship. The integration of advanced technologies, including Extended Reality (XR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and robotics, enhances immersive, hands-on educational experiences. Key initiatives include Eco-Friendly Maker Spaces and Sustainability-Themed STEM Modules, which encourage students to tackle real-world environmental challenges through project-based learning. Outdoor Learning Opportunities and Community Engagement Projects further enrich student understanding of ecological principles and promote a sense of responsibility toward sustainability. Challenges such as resource constraints, teacher training needs, and curriculum integration are acknowledged, with strategies like partnerships, blended learning approaches, and innovative pedagogies proposed to address them. The paper highlights the multifaceted impact of ICs: from fostering critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills to cultivating environmental literacy and sustainable behaviors. These outcomes are complemented by strengthened community engagement, as students collaborate on projects with tangible societal benefits. By adopting a holistic approach, ICs aim to prepare a generation of proactive change-makers equipped to address global challenges. They not only enhance academic outcomes but also instill values of ethical and sustainable technology use. The synthesis of constructionist principles with sustainability at Greece’s ICs exemplifies a scalable model for integrating environmental consciousness into education, empowering students to lead innovative and responsible futures.

Petra Francesca Weixelbraun, Barbara Göbl and Mirjam Duvivié
Game Character Design as a Mirror Of Student Perceptions: A Creative Method for Reflection and Assessment in Educational Settings
Exploring the potential of game character design as a constructionist, reflective method and evaluative tool in educational settings, this study investigates how students create characters based on the game “Fall of Porcupine” in school-based participatory design workshops. A thematic analysis of character descriptions provides insights into students' views on the healthcare system, social inequalities, and working conditions. The findings suggest that character creation serves as a medium for students to engage with complex topics, express personal viewpoints, and develop critical perspectives. This approach contributes to innovative assessment methods in constructionist learning environments by making students’ viewpoints, reflection and knowledge visible to teachers and/or researchers.
Ilya Levin, Alexei Semenov and Mikael Gorsky
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.
Gary Stager
Papert, Parables, and the Future of Constructionism — A Constructionist Call for Action
Constructionism approaches middle age at a time of political upheaval, heated battles over schooling, the emergence of accessible artificial intelligence tools, a rudderless educational technology 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.
Ken Kahn and Sylvia Libow Martinez
The Constructionist Role of Programming in the AI Era
Long before constructionism had a name, Seymour Papert wrote about how a child could use a programming language to “learn to manipulate, to extend, to apply to projects, thereby gaining a greater and more articulate mastery of the world, a sense of the power of applied knowledge and a self-confidently realistic image of himself as an intellectual agent.” He described programming languages as opening “a vast universe of things to do. But the real magic comes when this is combined with the conceptual power of theoretical ideas associated with computation.” Here I argue that there is now another way to empower this kind of creativity and reflection. Constructionist learning can arise by conversing with a chatbot to build computer programs.
Claudia Corriveau and Ivanhoé Moisan
Designing Manipulatives As Microworld-Making: A Reflective Approach to Enhancing a Course Through Pre-Service Teachers' Contributions
This paper seeks to establish a foundation for the course through a reflective approach to its development, viewing it as a dynamic process that evolves by integrating students' experiences, knowledge building, and manipulatives creation. This perspective reimagines teacher education not only in terms of content but also in terms of approach, promoting a vision in which the teacher—whether the one being trained or the one providing the training—acts simultaneously as a practitioner, a designer, and a learner. Consistently with constructionist principles, the study focuses on the evolution of the course through the analysis of one student’s design work, which led to refinements in course structure and pedagogical approach. The paper aligns the pre-service teacher’s manipulative with the concept of Symbolically Structured Environments (SSEs) —also seen as Microworld—emphasizing how physical actions can interact with mathematical symbols to deepen understanding. By framing the designing manipulative as microworld-making, the second iteration of the course, informed by this analysis, incorporates key elements of SSEs to empower pre-service teachers to design manipulatives that engage students as active participants in their own learning.
Víctor Eugenio Ramírez-Mazariegos and Ana Isabel Sacristán
Exploring and Developing Geometric Ideas Related to the Concept of Angle Through a Sequence of Microworlds Using Various Digital Tools
This short paper describes a learning trajectory or activities sequence that aims for middle and lower secondary school students to explore and develop geometric ideas and understanding related to the concept of angle, as well as problem-solving skills. The sequence uses various and complementary digital tools (Bridge Constructor, GeoGebra and Logo); each had distinct purpose and constituted a different epistemological domain that allowed students to engage in constructions where angles could be conceived in different ways. The aim of the sequence is for students to develop knowledge of the classification of angles, means to measure them and understand their relationships (e.g. between inner and rotational angles) in different contexts.

Peter Mozelius
AI Enhanced Constructionism for Educational Game Design
This paper describes and discusses how AI enhanced constructionism could be involved to stimulate active learning in a course on game-based learning. The main objective in the course is to create artefacts that could be combined to a game prototype at the end of the course, in the spirit of Seymour Papert’s idea of learning building meaningful artefacts. Design science research was used to gather requirements and to create the syllabus and the course design that is presented in this paper. Since the course has not been given yet, this is work in progress, but with ideas for how to combine constructionism with artificial intelligence in a course on game-based learning. The paper also discusses how to outline assignments and how to handle assessment when generative AI tools are used by course participants. Other suggested concepts for enhancing constructionism are heutagogy, feedforward and ungrading, especially if the course is given as professional development for adult learners
Andri Ioannou, Chrystalleni Loizidou, Dishita Turakhia, Sherry Lassiter and Stefanie Mueller
Maker Education and STEM+ In the Context of Contemporary Constructionism: Iterative Resilience and Community
Maker Education and STEM+ initiatives are often celebrated for fostering creativity, problem-solving, and innovation. However, as these approaches gain global traction and the Maker Education movement matures, its technocentric underpinnings are increasingly critiqued for overshadowing deeper pedagogical aims. This paper examines initial insights from qualitative interviews with Maker educators and researchers, highlighting challenges and strategies for shifting Maker Education from a focus on tools and spaces towards pedagogies that prioritise the significance and centrality of community for learning, as well as a mindset of resistance to failure and a resilient approach to problem-solving. By re-centering constructionist ideas of creativity, iteration, and human connection, the findings demonstrate how community-centric practices can transform makerspaces into inclusive ecosystems of collaboration and growth. This work contributes actionable recommendations for embedding Maker Education into diverse educational settings, in the context of contemporary constructionism and in line with the conference’s theme of “Building Communities, Bridging Ideas.”
Irmak Ureten, Kaan Tabag, Mehmet Bener, Emre Dayangac, Ahmet Burhan Bas and Sedat Yalcin
Bridging Theoretical and Applied Mechanics by Integration of Augmented Reality: Automata
In the scope of the new technological era we live in, creative learning, prototyping and innovative problem solving are increasing in value day by day. However, newcomers in K12 laboratories find it quite challenging to take on new projects by themselves.Our observations in STEM projects and robotics competitions revealed a significant gap between theoretical knowledge and practical applications in mechanical systems. Aiming to find a constructive way to fill this gap, we prototyped kits labeled “automata”. Creativity can enhance the hands-on multidisciplinary learning experience by drawing interest in the process of creating a unique outcome[3]. The kits we designed in total have 6 models which we produce in our fablab consisting of a farm of 20+ 3D printers. The kits illustrate core concepts of cams, cranks and gears which are the most used and base of all mechanical systems. Each model has its own original design which illustrates systems we constantly face in our daily lives but fail to realize. When finalized with the design of the kits, to encourage innovative and creative thinking, we enhanced them with augmented reality (AR). As users interact with these models, movements are mirrored by corresponding AR animations on their mobile devices. For instance, geneva stop automata have jellyfishes rotating in correlation to the rotational movement of the gear. We had the opportunity to test this kit on K12 students, each workshop resulting with high accuracy of learning when comparing our before-after forms’ feedbacks. We believe this workshop is a great contribution to constructionist and innovative learning since by connecting physical building with digital visualization, the kit offers an interactive approach to learning mechanics, helping K12 students to bridge the gap between theory of mechanics and the practical technological application.
Aravind Sai Sarathy and Peter Wardrip
A Constructionist Approach to Note-taking
Note-taking is a fundamental learning practice, yet traditional outlining methods often limit students’ ability to actively generate new knowledge. This study explores how constructionist note-taking practices emphasizing artifact creation, active processing, collaboration & feedback, and reflection & refinement, grounded in the 4E framework (Externalize, Equate, Engage, Examine), enhance the generativeness of notes. Using a quasi-experimental design, undergraduate students were divided into two groups: Experimental (constructionist note-taking) and Control (Traditional outlining). Quantitative analysis using independent t-tests indicated that the constructionist note-taking produced significantly more non-obvious connections, self-generated questions, and insights (M = 3.54, SD = 0.52) over the control group (M = 1.63, SD = 0.67). On average, participants in the experimental group produced 53.94% more novel insights compared to the control group. Qualitative findings revealed that constructionist note-taking promoted cross-disciplinary connections and deeper conceptual engagement. Participants in experimental groups demonstrated a higher frequency of novel perspectives, with one student linking blockchain technology with regenerative agricultural supply chains, while another identified unexpected parallels between alternate crop rotation and ecological resilience. These findings support the idea that constructionist note-taking practices transform notes from an external storage mechanism to an evolving ‘object-to-think-with’. The study underscores the active role that instructors play in guiding students toward effective generative note-taking practices. By integrating the 4E framework into note-taking pedagogy, educators can foster a more dynamic, creative, and cognitively enriching learning environment where students move beyond passive reception to active knowledge construction, deeper inquiry, and novel insight generation.
Leah Rosenbaum, Paulo Blikstein and Engin Bumbacher
Making to Empower Teacher Problem Posing and Design: Digital Fabrication Skills and Interdisciplinary Community of Practice Help Teachers Address Classroom Problems
Research on educational making and makerspaces, especially within school contexts, concerns students’ experiences and learning in makerspaces. We position disciplinary classroom teachers as learners and focus on their experiences of maker skills and technologies, specifically how they identified and designed solutions to problems of their own classroom practice. Across a semester-long course of a total of about 60 hours, 16 pre- and in-service teachers from 10 different disciplines identified problems of practice and iteratively designed technologies to address them. We characterize the kinds of problems they identified as well as the nature of the solutions they designed. We also illustrate how an interdisciplinary community of practice arose as an unexpected but noteworthy resource in teachers’ reflections on their workshop experiences. Our findings underscore the value of opening the constructionist learning opportunities afforded by making not only to student learners but to their teachers as well.
Carolina Sotério and Paulo Blikstein
Lab-on-a-Book: A Paper-Based Chemistry Kit for Hands-on Science Learning in Under-Resourced Schools
This paper presents Lab-on-a-Book, a low-cost, paper-based chemistry kit designed to support hands-on science learning for middle school students (ages 11–14) in under-resourced schools. The kit integrates scientific experiments directly onto the pages of a book, replacing traditional laboratory materials with paper-based alternatives. Using a constructionist approach, it engages students in active inquiry and problem-solving. Each experiment is framed around students’ own questions, encouraging exploration, collaboration, and iterative learning. The book includes eleven experiments covering fundamental chemistry concepts such as pH, density, and mixtures. This paper discusses the theoretical foundations and design elements of Lab-on-a-Book, highlighting its potential to promote science learning in resource-constrained settings.

For any questions, feel free to contact us at info@constructionismconf.org. Join our mailing list.

Constructionism 2025 is organized with support from