Understanding High School Students' Reading, Remixing, and Writing Codeable Circuits for Electronic Textiles

In this paper, we examine students? learning about computing by designing, coding, and remixing electronic textiles with sensor inputs and light outputs. We conducted a workshop with 23 high school students ages 16-17 years who learned how to craft and code circuits with the LilyPad Arduino, an electronic textile construction kit. Our analyses not only confirm significant increases in students' understanding of functional circuits but also showcase students' ability in reading, remixing and writing program code for controlling circuits. In our discussion, we address opportunities and challenges of introducing codeable circuit design for integrating maker activities that include engineering and computing into K-12 classrooms.

[1]  Kylie Peppler,et al.  Makeology : Makerspaces as Learning Environments (Volume 1) , 2016 .

[2]  Yasmin B. Kafai,et al.  Makeology : Makers as Learners (Volume 2) , 2016 .

[3]  Amon Millner,et al.  Modkit: blending and extending approachable platforms for creating computer programs and interactive objects , 2011, IDC.

[4]  Paulo Blikstein,et al.  Building blocks in creative computing: modularity increases the probability of prototyping novel ideas , 2017 .

[5]  Jie Qi,et al.  Sketching in circuits: designing and building electronics on paper , 2014, CHI.

[6]  Leah Buechley,et al.  LilyPad in the wild: how hardware's long tail is supporting new engineering and design communities , 2010, Conference on Designing Interactive Systems.

[7]  Deborah A. Fields,et al.  Electronic Textiles as Disruptive Designs: Supporting and Challenging Maker Activities in Schools , 2014 .

[8]  Andrée Tiberghien,et al.  Connecting Research in Physics Education with Teacher Education , 2001 .

[9]  R Ruurd Taconis,et al.  Some Key Issues in Creating Inquiry-Based Instructional Practices that Aim at the Understanding of Simple Electric Circuits , 2013 .

[10]  Deborah A. Fields,et al.  Deconstruction Kits for Learning: Students' Collaborative Debugging of Electronic Textile Designs , 2016, FabLearn.

[11]  Joseph A. Paradiso,et al.  Crafting technology with circuit stickers , 2015, IDC.

[12]  Mark Zuckerberg,et al.  Computer Science for All , 2016 .

[13]  Kylie Peppler,et al.  Stitching Circuits: Learning About Circuitry Through E-textile Materials , 2013 .

[14]  Samuel Johnson,et al.  Squishy circuits: a tangible medium for electronics education , 2010, CHI EA '10.

[15]  Kylie Peppler,et al.  Introduction to This Volume , 2016 .

[16]  Deborah A. Fields,et al.  A Crafts-Oriented Approach to Computing in High School , 2014, ACM Trans. Comput. Educ..

[17]  Leah Buechley,et al.  A Construction Kit for Electronic Textiles , 2006, 2006 10th IEEE International Symposium on Wearable Computers.

[18]  L. Katehi,et al.  Engineering in K-12 Education: Understanding the Status and Improving the Prospects. , 2009 .

[19]  Jeannette M. Wing.  An introduction to computer science for non-majors using principles of computation , 2007, SIGCSE.

[20]  LeeEunkyoung,et al.  A Crafts-Oriented Approach to Computing in High School , 2014 .

[21]  Roger Osborne,et al.  Towards Modifying Children's Ideas about Electric Current , 1983 .