Pub Date : 2025-08-30DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100759
Jerry Fails , Aurora Constantin , Eva Eriksson , Janet Read , Gavin Sim , Marie Boden , Jessica Korte , Sanjana Bhatnagar , Judith Good
Social imaginaries are a way of envisioning how people maintain society, and of understanding what is valued within that society. In this project, we worked with children on environmentally sustainable solutions for the future using co-design, a common methodology in child–computer interaction. We apply a social imaginary lens to five co-design case studies, from different geographic regions around the world, to describe and analyze variations in design practices as well as in design artifacts, and examine the ways in which children demonstrated a shared understanding of a pro-social world. The primary contribution of this paper is an illustration of the use of social imaginaries for interpreting and organizing co-design around environmental sustainability.
{"title":"Social imaginaries as a lens on co-designing environmental sustainability","authors":"Jerry Fails , Aurora Constantin , Eva Eriksson , Janet Read , Gavin Sim , Marie Boden , Jessica Korte , Sanjana Bhatnagar , Judith Good","doi":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100759","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100759","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Social imaginaries are a way of envisioning how people maintain society, and of understanding what is valued within that society. In this project, we worked with children on environmentally sustainable solutions for the future using co-design, a common methodology in child–computer interaction. We apply a social imaginary lens to five co-design case studies, from different geographic regions around the world, to describe and analyze variations in design practices as well as in design artifacts, and examine the ways in which children demonstrated a shared understanding of a pro-social world. The primary contribution of this paper is an illustration of the use of social imaginaries for interpreting and organizing co-design around environmental sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38431,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100759"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145049936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-21DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100769
Luis Morales-Navarro, Daniel J. Noh, Yasmin B. Kafai
As generative language models have gained popularity, high school students are increasingly using them in their everyday lives. While most current research has focused on examining youth as productive users of generative language model-powered systems, far fewer efforts have focused on how to engage high school students as designers of these models to foster a better understanding of how these systems work. Building on the rich legacy of research that positions youth as designers of computing systems, we explore how to support high school students in designing very small-scale generative language models, which we call babyGPTs. Through an in-depth case study of three teenagers building a babyGPT screenplay generator, we illustrate how the team defined a design problem, developed a model, and reflected while engaging in AI/ML data practices and addressing ethical issues. This paper contributes a case study showing how students engage in data practices and ethical considerations in the construction of generative language models and outlines directions for future research on construction activities and tools to support youth in designing generative language models.
{"title":"High school students building babyGPTs: Engaging in data practices and addressing ethical issues through the construction of generative language models","authors":"Luis Morales-Navarro, Daniel J. Noh, Yasmin B. Kafai","doi":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100769","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100769","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As generative language models have gained popularity, high school students are increasingly using them in their everyday lives. While most current research has focused on examining youth as productive <em>users</em> of generative language model-powered systems, far fewer efforts have focused on how to engage high school students as <em>designers</em> of these models to foster a better understanding of how these systems work. Building on the rich legacy of research that positions youth as designers of computing systems, we explore how to support high school students in designing very small-scale generative language models, which we call babyGPTs. Through an in-depth case study of three teenagers building a babyGPT screenplay generator, we illustrate how the team defined a design problem, developed a model, and reflected while engaging in AI/ML data practices and addressing ethical issues. This paper contributes a case study showing how students engage in data practices and ethical considerations in the construction of generative language models and outlines directions for future research on construction activities and tools to support youth in designing generative language models.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38431,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100769"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144913151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-19DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100767
Ceren Ocak , Aman Yadav , Kathryn M. Rich
This study explores the impact of computational thinking (CT) on enhancing metacognitive strategies among young learners. We conducted one-on-one video interviews with four fifth-grade students as they participated in an adapted version of the unplugged CT activity, Bebras's (2019) Programming Lamps Task. Our findings suggest that CT particularly contributes to the development of self-monitoring and evaluation strategies, such as continuous assessment of one's performance and adopting new strategies and exploring alternatives when existing solutions fail. These were particularly evident as students decomposed problems and developed step-by-step solutions in response to evolving challenges within the task scenarios. Overall, this paper discusses the potential connection between CT and metacognitive strategies, focusing how CT can be a valuable tool for teachers in developing their students' problem-solving abilities and academic performance.
{"title":"Exploring young children's metacognition during unplugged computational thinking","authors":"Ceren Ocak , Aman Yadav , Kathryn M. Rich","doi":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100767","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100767","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the impact of computational thinking (CT) on enhancing metacognitive strategies among young learners. We conducted one-on-one video interviews with four fifth-grade students as they participated in an adapted version of the unplugged CT activity, Bebras's (2019) Programming Lamps Task. Our findings suggest that CT particularly contributes to the development of self-monitoring and evaluation strategies, such as continuous assessment of one's performance and adopting new strategies and exploring alternatives when existing solutions fail. These were particularly evident as students decomposed problems and developed step-by-step solutions in response to evolving challenges within the task scenarios. Overall, this paper discusses the potential connection between CT and metacognitive strategies, focusing how CT can be a valuable tool for teachers in developing their students' problem-solving abilities and academic performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38431,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100767"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144893239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-14DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100768
Mariana A. Tamashiro , Marie-Monique A. Schaper , Ole Iversen , Maarten Van Mechelen , Rachel C. Smith
We report from a fiction-based teaching activity in K-9 education in which 41 students (aged 13-15 y) were taught about the societal implications of emerging technologies – in this case, facial recognition technologies. Whereas current Child-Computer Interaction research primarily focuses on technical and conceptual aspects of emerging technologies in K-9 education, less emphasis has been put on the societal implications of emerging technologies. This is due to the complexity of these societal implications for K-9 students, the typical separation of technical and societal elements in K-9 teaching, as well as the influence of assumptions regarding technology implications. Based on prior Child-Computer Interaction research on fiction-based activities in educational contexts, we demonstrate how fiction-based activities can be useful to overcome the current challenges of teaching about societal implications of emerging technologies. Our study demonstrates how fiction-based activities can expose students to different stakeholders' perspectives and develop nuanced opinions about ethical and societal implications of emerging technologies. However, there were aspects that were not fully supported by the approach, like students' understanding of algorithmic bias and connection to real-life scenarios. Our research results also generated a list of important questions to be addressed by future Child-Computer Interaction research to fully embrace the potential of fiction-based activities in regard to emerging technologies’ societal implications within K9 education.
{"title":"How fiction can support the teaching of societal implications of emerging technologies? A case study on facial recognition activities with K-9 students","authors":"Mariana A. Tamashiro , Marie-Monique A. Schaper , Ole Iversen , Maarten Van Mechelen , Rachel C. Smith","doi":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100768","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100768","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We report from a fiction-based teaching activity in K-9 education in which 41 students (aged 13-15 y) were taught about the societal implications of emerging technologies – in this case, facial recognition technologies. Whereas current Child-Computer Interaction research primarily focuses on technical and conceptual aspects of emerging technologies in K-9 education, less emphasis has been put on the societal implications of emerging technologies. This is due to the complexity of these societal implications for K-9 students, the typical separation of technical and societal elements in K-9 teaching, as well as the influence of assumptions regarding technology implications. Based on prior Child-Computer Interaction research on fiction-based activities in educational contexts, we demonstrate how fiction-based activities can be useful to overcome the current challenges of teaching about societal implications of emerging technologies. Our study demonstrates how fiction-based activities can expose students to different stakeholders' perspectives and develop nuanced opinions about ethical and societal implications of emerging technologies. However, there were aspects that were not fully supported by the approach, like students' understanding of algorithmic bias and connection to real-life scenarios. Our research results also generated a list of important questions to be addressed by future Child-Computer Interaction research to fully embrace the potential of fiction-based activities in regard to emerging technologies’ societal implications within K9 education.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38431,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100768"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144903092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-29DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100766
Yu-Yu Liu , Christian Dindler , Ole S. Iversen , Yasmin B. Kafai
Child-Computer Interaction (CCI) research has shown growing interest in Computational Empowerment (CE), yet there remains a lack of focus on assessment practices that can substantiate its outcomes. This paper presents a semi-systematic review to examine current approaches to assessing CE in CCI, investigate how these assessments connect to learning activities, and propose research directions for improving CE assessments. Our findings reveal that most studies are situated in formal educational settings and primarily aim to evaluate proposed technologies or learning models, but often with limited educator involvement. Assessment methods primarily rely on observations, feedback, reflection, and self-reports, but many do not specify theoretical frameworks. In response, we advocate for recentering participatory design in CE by fostering sustainable collaboration with educators. We propose strengthening CE assessment practices by building upon exemplary studies and focusing on three key areas aligned with the pillars of learning design: (1) refining and advancing CE learning goals, (2) integrating learning theories into assessment design, and (3) developing activities grounded in formative assessment principles.
{"title":"A semi-systematic literature review for improving assessment goals, practices, and strategies for promoting computational empowerment in K-12 education","authors":"Yu-Yu Liu , Christian Dindler , Ole S. Iversen , Yasmin B. Kafai","doi":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100766","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100766","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Child-Computer Interaction (CCI) research has shown growing interest in Computational Empowerment (CE), yet there remains a lack of focus on assessment practices that can substantiate its outcomes. This paper presents a semi-systematic review to examine current approaches to assessing CE in CCI, investigate how these assessments connect to learning activities, and propose research directions for improving CE assessments. Our findings reveal that most studies are situated in formal educational settings and primarily aim to evaluate proposed technologies or learning models, but often with limited educator involvement. Assessment methods primarily rely on observations, feedback, reflection, and self-reports, but many do not specify theoretical frameworks. In response, we advocate for recentering participatory design in CE by fostering sustainable collaboration with educators. We propose strengthening CE assessment practices by building upon exemplary studies and focusing on three key areas aligned with the pillars of learning design: (1) refining and advancing CE learning goals, (2) integrating learning theories into assessment design, and (3) developing activities grounded in formative assessment principles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38431,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100766"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144772573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Today, there is an ongoing debate about the use of digital tools among young pupils. However, previous research indicates that digital tools can play an important role even in the early school years, as hybrid learning activities can promote joint activities with interaction as a natural component. Yet, few studies have explored such hybrid activities. This case study investigates how 6- and 7-year-old pupils in two empirical data sets (one from 2012, one from 2023) position themselves when collaboratively creating digital fairy tales in small groups using a tablet application, and specifically how they position themselves in relation to each other and the task they are to fulfil. The study is grounded in social constructivist theory, which posits that individuals interact through verbal and embodied actions in collaboration with others in social contexts. The data comprises video recordings of the participants' interaction with each other and their learning tablets. These recordings were first analysed to discern patterns in the pupils' positioning and video episodes with critical sequences were transcribed with tools from multimodal interaction analysis. The analysis revealed several themes, such as pupils’ positioning through both embodied and verbal interaction in terms of invitations for collaboration, negotiations of power, and positioning in relation to the task, primarily in terms of acceptance and perseverance, with resistance being less common. To conclude, the activity appeared complex, inviting the children to various negotiations and positionings through verbal and embodied interaction. Even though most groups solved both concrete challenges and minor disagreements, the complexity of the activity points to the importance of an attentive teacher.
{"title":"Young pupils’ positioning in multimodal interaction during text creation with digital tools","authors":"Kristina Danielsson , Ann-Charlotte Rohman Roth , Marina Wernholm","doi":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100764","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100764","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Today, there is an ongoing debate about the use of digital tools among young pupils. However, previous research indicates that digital tools can play an important role even in the early school years, as hybrid learning activities can promote joint activities with interaction as a natural component. Yet, few studies have explored such hybrid activities. This case study investigates how 6- and 7-year-old pupils in two empirical data sets (one from 2012, one from 2023) position themselves when collaboratively creating digital fairy tales in small groups using a tablet application, and specifically how they position themselves in relation to each other and the task they are to fulfil. The study is grounded in social constructivist theory, which posits that individuals interact through verbal and embodied actions in collaboration with others in social contexts. The data comprises video recordings of the participants' interaction with each other and their learning tablets. These recordings were first analysed to discern patterns in the pupils' positioning and video episodes with critical sequences were transcribed with tools from multimodal interaction analysis. The analysis revealed several themes, such as pupils’ positioning through both embodied and verbal interaction in terms of invitations for collaboration, negotiations of power, and positioning in relation to the task, primarily in terms of acceptance and perseverance, with resistance being less common. To conclude, the activity appeared complex, inviting the children to various negotiations and positionings through verbal and embodied interaction. Even though most groups solved both concrete challenges and minor disagreements, the complexity of the activity points to the importance of an attentive teacher.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38431,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100764"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145333196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-19DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100760
Giorgia Adorni , Alberto Piatti
Algorithmic thinking (AT) is a critical skill in today’s digital society, and it is indispensable not only in computer science-related fields but also in everyday problem-solving. As a foundational component of digital education and literacy, fostering AT skills is increasingly relevant for all students and should become a standard part of compulsory education. However, successfully integrating AT into formal education requires effective teaching strategies and robust and scalable assessment procedures. In this paper, we present the design and development process of the virtual Cross Array Task (CAT), a digital adaptation of an unplugged assessment activity aimed at evaluating algorithmic skills in Swiss compulsory education. The development process followed iterative design cycles, incorporating expert evaluations to refine the tool’s usability, accessibility and functionality. A participatory design study played a dual role in shaping the platform. First, it gathered valuable insights from end users, including students and teachers, to ensure the tool’s relevance and practicality in classroom settings. Second, it facilitated the collection and preliminary analysis of data related to students’ AT skills, providing an initial evaluation of the tool’s assessment capabilities across various developmental stages. This was achieved through a pilot study involving a diverse group of students aged 4 to 12, spanning preschool to lower secondary school levels. The resulting instrument features multilingual support and includes both gesture-based and visual block-based programming interfaces, making it accessible to a broad range of learners. Findings from the pilot study demonstrate the platform’s usability and accessibility, as well as its suitability for assessing AT skills, with preliminary results showing its ability to cater to diverse age groups and educational contexts. Additionally, the CAT has proven capable of handling large-scale, automated assessments, offering a scalable solution for integrating AT evaluation into education systems.
{"title":"Designing the virtual CAT: A digital tool for algorithmic thinking assessment in compulsory education","authors":"Giorgia Adorni , Alberto Piatti","doi":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100760","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100760","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Algorithmic thinking (AT) is a critical skill in today’s digital society, and it is indispensable not only in computer science-related fields but also in everyday problem-solving. As a foundational component of digital education and literacy, fostering AT skills is increasingly relevant for all students and should become a standard part of compulsory education. However, successfully integrating AT into formal education requires effective teaching strategies and robust and scalable assessment procedures. In this paper, we present the design and development process of the virtual Cross Array Task (CAT), a digital adaptation of an unplugged assessment activity aimed at evaluating algorithmic skills in Swiss compulsory education. The development process followed iterative design cycles, incorporating expert evaluations to refine the tool’s usability, accessibility and functionality. A participatory design study played a dual role in shaping the platform. First, it gathered valuable insights from end users, including students and teachers, to ensure the tool’s relevance and practicality in classroom settings. Second, it facilitated the collection and preliminary analysis of data related to students’ AT skills, providing an initial evaluation of the tool’s assessment capabilities across various developmental stages. This was achieved through a pilot study involving a diverse group of students aged 4 to 12, spanning preschool to lower secondary school levels. The resulting instrument features multilingual support and includes both gesture-based and visual block-based programming interfaces, making it accessible to a broad range of learners. Findings from the pilot study demonstrate the platform’s usability and accessibility, as well as its suitability for assessing AT skills, with preliminary results showing its ability to cater to diverse age groups and educational contexts. Additionally, the CAT has proven capable of handling large-scale, automated assessments, offering a scalable solution for integrating AT evaluation into education systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38431,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100760"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144679588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-18DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100765
Youjung Jung, Michael Tscholl, Ying Xie
This two-phase study investigated the effect of unplugged activities (UAs) on learning computational thinking (CT) with educational robotics (ERs) of upper elementary school students. In Phase 1, we conducted a case study, using multiple sources of qualitative data to identify challenges students encountered in learning CT with ERs. We found that children often failed to explicitly program robot behaviors, had difficulties shifting between allocentric and egocentric reference frames, and understanding the ‘flow of control’. Based on these findings, we developed UAs to help students practicing task decomposition, identifying patterns in tasks, and applying abstraction and algorithmic thinking. In Phase 2, we tested the effects of the UAs in a quasi-experimental study conducted in a summer school. The results show that UAs targeting students' challenges significantly improved their learning of CT skills and programming. We discuss our approach and findings in relation to developing practical intervention designs for teachers and curriculum developers.
{"title":"Enhancing computational thinking in upper elementary: A two-phase study examining the effect of unplugged activities","authors":"Youjung Jung, Michael Tscholl, Ying Xie","doi":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100765","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100765","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This two-phase study investigated the effect of unplugged activities (UAs) on learning computational thinking (CT) with educational robotics (ERs) of upper elementary school students. In Phase 1, we conducted a case study, using multiple sources of qualitative data to identify challenges students encountered in learning CT with ERs. We found that children often failed to explicitly program robot behaviors, had difficulties shifting between allocentric and egocentric reference frames, and understanding the ‘flow of control’. Based on these findings, we developed UAs to help students practicing task decomposition, identifying patterns in tasks, and applying abstraction and algorithmic thinking. In Phase 2, we tested the effects of the UAs in a quasi-experimental study conducted in a summer school. The results show that UAs targeting students' challenges significantly improved their learning of CT skills and programming. We discuss our approach and findings in relation to developing practical intervention designs for teachers and curriculum developers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38431,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100765"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144686574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
To thrive in a rapidly changing world, children need opportunities to develop agency. Fab Labs and makerspaces, equipped with digital fabrication tools, offer empowering settings where children can design and build their own creations while developing STEM competencies. This study investigates how making activities in such settings can foster agency by engaging children as active participants in a co-creative and participatory intervention grounded in Self-Determination Theory. Using a design-based research approach, three iterations of a four-week workshop series were conducted with N = 66 children and adolescents aged 9–13. Design thinking provided a guiding structure for children to generate and pursue their own ideas and for mentors to support the open-ended processes. Findings show that participants successfully engaged in self-directed and independent making activities, experienced agency, and continued their engagement. The study demonstrates the potential of Fab Labs to foster self-regulation and highlights the importance of iterative, participatory approaches for developing empowering interventions. It contributes to promoting equity in informal STEM education and offers both theoretical and practical implications, as well as further avenues for research.
{"title":"Design-based research and design thinking in the Fab Lab: Developing an intervention to spark empowering making activities among children and adolescents","authors":"Kathrin Smolarczyk, Magdalena Virgo, Omed Abed, Rolf Becker","doi":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100763","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100763","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To thrive in a rapidly changing world, children need opportunities to develop agency. Fab Labs and makerspaces, equipped with digital fabrication tools, offer empowering settings where children can design and build their own creations while developing STEM competencies. This study investigates how making activities in such settings can foster agency by engaging children as active participants in a co-creative and participatory intervention grounded in Self-Determination Theory. Using a design-based research approach, three iterations of a four-week workshop series were conducted with <em>N</em> = 66 children and adolescents aged 9–13. Design thinking provided a guiding structure for children to generate and pursue their own ideas and for mentors to support the open-ended processes. Findings show that participants successfully engaged in self-directed and independent making activities, experienced agency, and continued their engagement. The study demonstrates the potential of Fab Labs to foster self-regulation and highlights the importance of iterative, participatory approaches for developing empowering interventions. It contributes to promoting equity in informal STEM education and offers both theoretical and practical implications, as well as further avenues for research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38431,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100763"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144724982","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-18DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100750
Franciely Alves de Souza , Suzerlly Vanderley Lopes Pires , Sara Raquel Araujo Leal , Cristian Camilo Millan Arias , Evanderson Heleno do Aguiar , Rogério Pontes de Araújo , Manoel Henrique da Nóbrega Marinho , Bruno José Torres Fernandes , Carlo Marcelo Revoredo da Silva
Recent Brazilian school surveys highlight a growing enrollment of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in early childhood education, emphasizing the need for inclusive tools to address their unique challenges. Children with ASD often exhibit deficits in Executive Functions (EFs), such as working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control, which are critical for learning and self-regulation. This study aims to develop and evaluate a Serious Game (SG) tailored to monitor and stimulate EFs in children with ASD, integrating usability requirements (URs) and autism-friendly design principles. The game features three activities – Memory, Shadow-matching, and Painting – designed to assess and enhance EFs. A case study involved 12 Brazilian children aged 3 to 6 years (6 with ASD and 6 as a control group), with support from Specialized Educational Assistance (SEA). Data from 640 sessions were analyzed using therapist-supported Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA). Findings reveal significant differences in EF performance between ASD and control groups, particularly in error rates, help requests, and session durations. The game effectively engaged children with ASD, maintaining their participation and motivation. The SG shows promise as an inclusive educational tool, fostering EF development in children with ASD. A publicly available dataset supports further research in adaptive technologies.
{"title":"Towards serious games through a playful approach for children with autism spectrum disorder","authors":"Franciely Alves de Souza , Suzerlly Vanderley Lopes Pires , Sara Raquel Araujo Leal , Cristian Camilo Millan Arias , Evanderson Heleno do Aguiar , Rogério Pontes de Araújo , Manoel Henrique da Nóbrega Marinho , Bruno José Torres Fernandes , Carlo Marcelo Revoredo da Silva","doi":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100750","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100750","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent Brazilian school surveys highlight a growing enrollment of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in early childhood education, emphasizing the need for inclusive tools to address their unique challenges. Children with ASD often exhibit deficits in Executive Functions (EFs), such as working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control, which are critical for learning and self-regulation. This study aims to develop and evaluate a Serious Game (SG) tailored to monitor and stimulate EFs in children with ASD, integrating usability requirements (URs) and autism-friendly design principles. The game features three activities – Memory, Shadow-matching, and Painting – designed to assess and enhance EFs. A case study involved 12 Brazilian children aged 3 to 6 years (6 with ASD and 6 as a control group), with support from Specialized Educational Assistance (SEA). Data from 640 sessions were analyzed using therapist-supported Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA). Findings reveal significant differences in EF performance between ASD and control groups, particularly in error rates, help requests, and session durations. The game effectively engaged children with ASD, maintaining their participation and motivation. The SG shows promise as an inclusive educational tool, fostering EF development in children with ASD. A publicly available dataset supports further research in adaptive technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38431,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100750"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144321390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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