On Making, Tinkering, Coding and Play for Learning: A Review of Current Research

Abstract

Although a few researchers have recently focused on the value of making, tinkering, coding, and play in learning, a synthesis of this work is currently missing, creating an unclear path for future research in this area. Computationalmaking-enhanced activities, framed as activities promoting making, tinkering, coding and play in the learning process, have gained a lot of attention during the last decade. This study provides a review of the existing research in this area, published in academic journals, from 2009 to 2018. We examine learning gains linked to learners' participation in computational making-enhanced activities in formal and non-formal education settings. We further overview the research methods, the educational level, and the context of the published studies. The review of selected studies has shown that most of the research has been conducted in non-formal and informal education settings, however a shift to formal education has appeared since 2016. Most studies have focused on programming and computer science with middle-school learners. Immediate action is needed to inform the design of computational-making-enhanced activities directly linked to curriculum goals. Given the lack of synthesis of work on computational-making, the review can have considerable value for researchers and practitioners in the field.

Trends, tensions, and futures of maker education research: a 2025 vision for STEM+ disciplinary and transdisciplinary spaces for learning through making

“…Papert's theory of Constructionism asserts that people construct knowledge when they design, build, and share their own meaningful artifacts (Morado, 2021;Papert, 1991). That is why researchers subscribing to the maker culture and maker movement place emphasis on studying learning and skill development via making, tinkering, coding, and play (Gravel et al, 2022;Honey, 2013;Martinez & Stager, 2013;Timotheou & Ioannou, 2019a, 2019b. These orientations embrace digital fabrication, technology, and computing aiming to integrate the tools, practices, and mindsets of maker learning into curricular enactments, typically to promote STEM or STEAM practices (e.g., Gravel & Puckett, 2023;Timotheou & Ioannou, 2021a, 2021b.…”

Toward capturing divergent collaboration in makerspaces using motion sensors

“…In a review by Papavlasopoulou et al (2017), 85% of the empirical studies were either purely qualitative or used mixed methods. In another review, Timotheou and Ioannou (2019) reported that 88% used either qualitative or mixed methods. Given the complexity and variety of activities that occur in digital fabrication labs, the use of qualitative and mixed methods is both necessary and justified.…”

Staging Constructionist Learning about Energy for Children with Electrochromic Displays and Low-Cost Materials

“…At the same time we are facing large-scale complex problems that will require interdisciplinary problem solving skills. Especially in STEM subjects, the idea of incorporating novel educational methods has been heavily explored through, for example, tinkering, play or maker-based activities [24,35,36]. Chu et al used maker activities to construct artifacts which afterwards would be used in a scientific experiment, for example building an electric sifter to separate salt and water [8].…”

“…cause and effect, etc. Open building and assembly activities might stimulate creative curiosity [35]. At an early age, activities can involve step-by-step lessons initially, yet the aim is often to equip the child to be more selfdirected in their learning.…”