Children learning to sketch: sketching to learn

Purpose This study aims to understand children’s sketching behavior while they engage in interest-driven design activities. Particularly, the authors examine their information sharing practices and the learning opportunities that may occur when they engage in a sketching activity. Design/methodology/approach The data collection is based on a participatory design approach, cooperative inquiry. For analysis, the authors used the ethnographic case study approach, which allowed us to consider the particularity and complexity of sketching and its affordances within each distinct design activity. Findings The authors found children share information about their expectations, experiences, beliefs and knowledge via their sketches. Additionally, through sketching activities, they were engaged in multiple learning opportunities including how to label sketches, build on ideas, sketch in collaboration and innovate on ideas. Research limitations/implications The findings demonstrate sketching can be used to gather information about the broader contexts of children’s lives which can be leveraged to identify their needs and improve the design of future technologies for children. Additionally, participating in sketching gives children opportunities to develop their sketching skills, a useful multimodal skillset for both design and personal expression. Originality/value This empirical research is original in its context of focusing on children sketching experiences in an interest-driven design environment occurring virtually in the informal setting of a library.