In this article, we examine the use of electronic textiles (e-textiles) for introducing key computational concepts and practices while broadening perceptions about computing. The starting point our work was design implementation a curriculum module using LilyPad Arduino in pre-AP high school computer science class. To understand students’ learning, analyzed structure functionality their circuits program code as well approaches to making debugging e-textile creations views We also studied...

Electronic textiles are a part of the increasingly popular maker movement that champions existing do-it-yourself activities. As making activities broaden from Maker Faires and fabrication spaces in children's museums, science centers, community organizations to school classrooms, they provide new opportunities for learning while challenging many current conventions schooling. In this article, authors Yasmin Kafai, Deborah Fields, Kristin Searle consider one disruptive area making: electronic...

Most research in primary and secondary computing education has focused on understanding learners within formal classroom communities, leaving aside the growing number of promising informal online programming communities where young contribute, comment, collaborate programs. In this paper, we examined trends computational participation Scratch, an community with over 1 million registered youth designers primarily 11-18 years age. Drawing a random sample 5,000 programmers their activities...

Background As the maker movement is increasingly adopted into K-12 schools, students are developing new competences in exploration and fabrication technologies. This study assesses learning with these technologies makerspaces FabLabs. Purpose Our describes iterative process of an assessment instrument for this technological literacy, Exploration Fabrication Technologies Instrument, presents findings from implementations at five schools three countries. index generalizable psychometrically...

Avatars in online games and worlds are seen as players’ key representations interactions with each other. In this article, we investigate the avatar design identity play within a large-scale tween virtual world called Whyville.net, more than 1.5 million registered players of ages 8—16. One unique feature Whyville is ability to customize their avatars various face parts accessories, all designed sold by other Whyville. Our findings report on expressive resources available for construction,...

Recent discussions of making have focused on developing out-of-school makerspaces and activities to provide more equitable enriching learning opportunities for youth. Yet school classrooms present a unique opportunity help broaden access, diversify representation, deepen participation in making. In turning classrooms, we want understand the crucial practices that teachers employ broadening deepening access this article, investigate two high teachers' approaches implementing novel eight-week,...

In this paper, we investigate racial diversity in avatar design and public discussions about race within a large-scale tween virtual world called Whyville.net, with more than 1.5 million registered players of ages 8—16. One unique feature Whyville is the player’s ability to customize their avatars various face parts accessories, all designed sold by other Whyville. Our findings report on available resources for construction online postings role social interactions community. With growing...

In this paper, we investigate the support of online creative collaborations among young programmers in Scratch. We designed and implemented two collaboration events, Collab Challenge Camp, January 2011 August 2011, respectively, which members Scratch community were invited to work together on programming projects. This paper explores what learned from iteratively designing implementing second event Camp. our analyses, reflect how changes context (context), opportunities for finding...

We highlight ways to support interest-driven creation of digital media in Scratch, a visual-based programming language and community, within high school workshop. describe collaborative approach, the programmers' collective, that builds on social models found do-it-yourself open source communities, but with scaffolding structures students' learning. analyze work class student collectives engaged music videos as part challenge online Scratch community. Our multi-level analysis focused...

Previous efforts in end-user development have focused on facilitating the mechanics of learning programming, leaving aside social and cultural factors equally important getting youth engaged programming. As part a 4-month long ethnographic study, we followed two 12-year-old participants as they learned programming software Scratch its associated file-sharing site, scratch.mit.edu, an after-school club class. In our discussion, focus role that agency, membership, status played their joining...

Changing an established role in a classroom is difficult. It involves constructing new set of relations within community. In this article we investigate how students with newly developed interest and experience programming outside the pick up establish their roles as experts More specifically, focus on two 11-year-old software designers shifted to gain status expert programmers. We use identity lens understand peer expertise was context community, adopting multifaceted perspective by...

Most research in primary and secondary computing education has focused on understanding learners within formal classroom communities, leaving aside the growing number of promising informal online programming communities where young users contribute, comment, collaborate programs to facilitate learning. In this article, we examined trends computational participation Scratch, an community with over 1 million registered youth designers. Drawing a random sample 5,004 programmers their activities...

Many efforts of curricula design have concentrated on expanding participation in K-12 CS education by introducing innovative approaches but few focused addressing longstanding equity issues through their choices culturally relevant materials and activities. In this paper, we describe our using electronic textiles which include Arduino-based microcontrollers that are sewn with conductive thread fabrics to connect actuators sensors create interactive wearables. We report the implementation an...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report changes when a classroom-based makerspace moved from face-to-face an online setting. Design/methodology/approach To better understand in teaching maker activities, as they move contexts, the authors analyzed video and interview data six weeks introductory computer science high school classroom (38 youth) that was implementing electronic textiles unit, shifting asynchronous learning during March 2020 state-wide closure because pandemic. field...

Even as efforts to promote K-12 CS education forge ahead, there is a growing consensus that students must also be taught artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in order prepared for the fast-changing world powered by AI/ML. How can ensure we leverage learnings from two decades of research practice, build on successes while mitigating missteps? This panel invites researchers with deep expertise 'CSForAll' timely discussion sharing valuable lessons about pedagogies, attention...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how a clinical interview protocol with failure artifact scenarios can capture changes in high school students’ explanations troubleshooting processes physical computing activities. authors focus on computing, as finding and fixing hardware software bugs highly contextual practice that involves multiple interconnected domains skills. Design/methodology/approach This developed piloted “failure scenarios” protocol. Youth were presented buggy...

Learning to use a construction kit design, make, and program electronic textiles (e-textiles) has been found be rich context for students' learning of crafting, engineering programming. We propose the development what we call 'deconstruction' kit---the design faulty e-textile artifacts that students need de- reconstruct---as an alternative gain insights into learning. designed projects with strategically poor non-functional circuitry, insufficient coding investigate high school understanding...

In this paper we explore how to assess novice youths' learning of programming in an open-ended, project-based environment. Our goal is combine analysis frequent, automated snapshots (e.g., "big" data) within the "thick" social context kids? for deeper insights into their trajectories. This focuses on first stage endeavor: development exploratory quantitative measures youths? computer science concepts. Analyses focus a series three Scratch Camps where 64 campers aged 10-13 used 2.0 make...

Abstract Much attention in constructionism has focused on designing tools and activities that support learners fully finished functional applications artefacts to be shared with others. But helping students learn debug their often takes a surprisingly more instructionist stance by giving them checklists, teaching strategies or providing test programmes. The idea of bugs for learning—or debugging design —makes agents own learning and, importantly, making solving mistakes. In this paper, we...

While the last two decades have seen an increased interest in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) K-12 schools, few efforts focused on teachers teaching practices necessary to support these interventions. Even fewer considered important work that carry out not just inside classrooms but beyond classroom walls sustain such implementation efforts, from interacting with administrators recruiting students persuading parents about importance of arts computer science....

Background and Context Debugging is a challenging yet understudied practice within recent collaborative K-12 physical computing contexts. We examined think-aloud interviews reflections of seven high school student pairs who debugged researcher-designed buggy electronic textile projects.