Ackermann, Edith. "Constructing Knowledge and Transforming the World." A Learning Zone of One's Own: Sharing Representations and Flow in Collaborative Learning Environments, by Luc Steels and Mario Tukoro. IOS Press, 2004, pp. 15-37. www.web.media.mit.edu/~edith/publications/2004-Constructing_Knowledge.pdf. Accessed 2 Dec. 2017.

Ackermann writes this chapter in two parts. Part I compares and contrasts the developmental learning theories of Papert’s constructionism, Piaget’s constructivism, and Vygotsky’s socio-constructivist approach. Part II explores ideas about learning through virtual role-playing and imagination with examples that support Papert’s idea of learning in microworlds; or places where “learners can mess around with otherwise risky ideas, on safe ground” (Ackermann).

Dr. Edith Ackermann worked on a research team directed by Jean Piaget in Geneva, Switzerland where she earned two master’s degrees in developmental psychology and clinical psychology; and completed her PhD in developmental psychology in 1981 (MIT). Ackermann was a member of the Epistemology and Learning Group at the MIT Media Lab in the 1980s under the direction of Seymour Papert.

Ackermann presents brilliant insights about developmental learning and offers a deeper understanding of Seymour Papert’s constructionist ideas.

Blikstein, Paulo, et al. Meaningful Making: Projects and Inspirations for Fab Labs and Makerspaces. Constructing Modern Knowledge Press, 2016. www.fablearn.stanford.edu/fellows/sites/default/files/Blikstein_Martinez_Pang-Meaningful_Making_book.pdf. Accessed 10 Dec. 2017.

This book contains the collective works of fifteen FabLearn Fellows documenting their experiences in constructionist learning environments with modern tools and technology. Numerous project ideas are well documented with photos, in-depth descriptions, reflections, and an appendix of charts outlining projects by age groups with tools, software, and materials used. Other highlights include a Foreword by Blikstein discussing Seymour Papert and constructionism; and chapters by Christa Flores addressing "inclusivity" in STEM fields and the misconceptions of "unstructured," constructivist classrooms.

Paulo Blikstein is Assistant Professor of Education and Computer Science at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education where he directs both the Transformative Learning Technologies Lab and FabLearn Program (Paulo). The 2014-2015 FabLearn Fellows are experienced makers and educators representing six countries working in a variety of institutions and demographics (Blikstein viii). The FabLearn Fellows Program is part of the “Infusing Learning Sciences Research into Digital Fabrication in Education and the Makers’ Movement” venture sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

This work illustrates what constructionism looks like in 2015 with modern tools and technology. Educators seeking to incorporate or integrate maker education and constructionism into their classrooms will find a wealth of inspiring projects and helpful strategies for designing constructionist learning environments.

Hall, Ted, and Peppler, Kylie. “The Make-to-Learn Youth Contest: Gaining Youth Perspectives on Learning Through Making.” Makeology: Makerspaces as Learning Environments. Vol. 1, by Kylie Peppler, et al., Routledge, 2016, pp. 141-157. www.kpeppler.com/Docs/2016_M2LContest_Makeology1.pdf. Accessed 10 Dec. 2017.

This chapter documents research of informal, constructionist learning environments that investigated what youth felt they learned from their independent maker projects. The Make-to-Learn contest, which took place in 2013, collected entries from 322 participants over nine weeks through the Instructables website. Peppler draws insightful results on significant aspects of learning in young makers and stresses that it is important for adult makers and educators to avoid narrow definitions of making in youth culture.

Dr. Kylie Peppler is Associate Professor of Learning Sciences at Indiana University and the Director of the university’s Creativity Labs. Dr. Peppler is a prolific writer and researcher in the learning sciences and "was a member of the original Scratch team contributing to the initial design and early study of the Scratch platform" (About par. 1). Peppler leads the Make-to-Learn initiative funded by the MacArthur Foundation to research the educational value in making and is a "member of the 2016 and 2017 National Educational Technology Plan Committee, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education" (About par. 1).

In Makeology, Kylie Peppler contributes to significant research in constructionist learning environments. This book provides a contemporary look at constructionism and documents the research being done to help integrate maker education and constructionist learning into 21st-century classrooms.

Harel, Idit, and Papert, Seymour. Constructionism: Research Reports and Essays, 1985-1990. Ablex, 1991.

The first three chapters provide a nice introduction to constructionism with an essay by Seymour Papert entitled “Situating Constructionism;” as well as a brilliant, constructionist essay by Aaron Falbel: “The Computer as a Convivial Tool.” The research presented in Part II of this book, chapters 4-8, documents successful results of children learning in a constructionist environment, and delivers an in-depth look at the learning styles and social interactions of the children involved. Parts I and II of this book focus primarily on constructionism; however, Ackermann presents an interesting epistemological study with Piaget’s water-level experiment in Part III; and Segall provides an intriguing case study of learning styles in chapter 13.

The various reports included in this book were written by the first generation of graduate students in the Epistemology & Learning Research Group at MIT under the direction of Seymour Papert. This all-star team included notables like Mitchel Resnick, Yasmin Kafai, Edith Ackermann, Idit Harel, and Aaron Falbel. Support for this research was funded by the National Science Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Apple Computer Inc., LEGO Systems AS, IBM Corporation, and Nintendo Inc. Japan (Harel p. X).

The research reports in this collection thoroughly document constructionist learning environments with both children and adults. Essays included in this book introduce Papert’s learning theory and education strategy of constructionism from various points of view. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in learning about constructionism and designing constructionist learning environments.

Hoyles, Celia, and Noss, Richard. “Constructionism and Microworlds.” Technology Enhanced Learning: Research Themes, edited by Erik Duval, et al. Springer, 2017, pp. 29-36.

In this chapter, Hoyles and Noss give a clear description of constructionism through interpreting cited quotes from Seymour Papert’s writings and other constructionist authors. They also illustrate how Papert successfully created a constructionist learning environment for children in the subject of mathematics with the Logo programming language. Hoyles and Noss offer thought-provoking questions with a variety of cited sources – challenging the reader to absorb all that can be gleaned from Papert’s constructionist examples to create modern, relevant, constructionist learning environments for youth today.

Dr. Celia Hoyles is Chair of Mathematics Education at University College London. Dr. Richard Noss is Professor of Mathematics Education at University College London. Hoyles and Noss are advocates for constructionism and continue to research the design of constructionist learning environments.

This brief chapter offers a clear, thoughtful description of constructionism and cites a number of sources to explore for further insights. Novices and seasoned practitioners of constructionist learning will discover a myriad of ideas to think with in this concise, thought-provoking chapter.

Martinez, Sylvia Libow, and Stager, Gary. Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom. Constructing Modern Knowledge Press, 2013.

This book provides a broad range of constructionist ideas, projects, tools, anecdotes, and resources for 21^st century learning. Stager and Martinez share their own experiences and ideas in addition to referencing the constructionist writings of Seymour Papert throughout the book. The fourteen chapters in this book are well organized by topic and produce an engaging read to a wealth of information for modern-day, constructionist learning.

Dr. Gary Stager is an advocate for constructionism with more than thirty years of experience as an international educator, speaker, software developer, and consultant. With a background in electrical engineering and educational technology, Sylvia Martinez is principal advisor to Stanford University FabLab Fellows and serves as president of the education consulting company she co-founded with Stager called CMK Futures.

Invent to Learn gives the reader an idea of what constructionism might look like in the classroom today. 3D printers, programming languages, and Arduinos are just some of the modern tools discussed for fostering a constructionist learning environment. Educators looking to incorporate maker education and/or constructionist ideas into their classrooms will find this book helpful and inspiring.

Papert, Seymour. “A Word for Learning.” The Children’s Machine: Rethinking School in the Age of the Computer, by Seymour Papert. Basic Books, 1993, pp. 82-105.

In this chapter, Seymour Papert writes with metaphors and anecdotes to present powerful ideas about learning. Constructionism focuses on the student/learner taking an active role in their learning as opposed to the status quo in education where the emphasis is primarily on the teacher possessing the active role. Papert poetically unveils thoughts about why no word for “the art of learning” exists, and stresses the idea that meaningful, deep-rooted learning will occur when learners take the time to connect new, unfamiliar subjects to their existing knowledge within personal interests.

Dr. Seymour Papert was a mathematician who worked with the Swiss philosopher and psychologist Jean Piaget at the University of Geneva from 1958-1963. Papert augmented Piaget’s learning theory of constructivism when he proposed his own learning theory and "strategy for education" (Resnick 1) called constructionism. Papert developed the first computer programming language for children called Logo (MIT Professor), co-founded the MIT Media Lab in 1985, and directed the Epistemology and Learning Research Group at MIT until the late 1990s (MIT Professor).

This piece is important because it demonstrates how Papert thought about learning and how it is crucial to consider the ways in which others learn; especially when designing a constructionist learning environment.

Papert, Seymour. Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas. 2nd ed., Basic Books, 1993.

Mindstorms exhibits how the computer can function as a powerful tool for children to actively build their own knowledge or "intellectual structures" (Papert 32). Papert discusses Jean Piaget, provides examples of children learning through experimentation and play with Logo Turtle, and presents an inspiring strategy for education. Originally published in 1980, this second edition includes additional Forewords by Papert and others reflecting on the impact of the visionary work after a decade.

Dr. Seymour Papert was a mathematician who worked with the Swiss philosopher and psychologist Jean Piaget at the University of Geneva from 1958-1963. Papert augmented Piaget’s learning theory of constructivism when he proposed his own learning theory and "strategy for education" (Resnick 1) called constructionism. Papert developed the first computer programming language for children called Logo (MIT Professor), co-founded the MIT Media Lab in 1985, and directed the Epistemology and Learning Research Group at MIT until the late 1990s (MIT Professor).

This book is considered to be Seymour Papert's seminal work. Although the word "constructionism" does not appear in the book, the ideas expressed about children and learning would come to be known as constructionism. This book is a must-read for educators, parents, and anyone working with children in a formal or informal learning environment. With permission from Seymour Papert's family, MIT has posted the original 1980 publication of Mindstorms at www.mindstorms.media.mit.edu/.

WORKS CITED

"About Me." Dr. Peppler, 2017, www.kpeppler.com. Web. Accessed 9 Dec. 2017.

Ackermann, Edith. "Constructing Knowledge and Transforming the World." A Learning Zone of One's Own: Sharing Representations and Flow in Collaborative Learning Environments, by Luc Steels and Mario Tukoro. IOS Press, 2004, pp. 15-37. www.web.media.mit.edu/~edith/publications/2004-Constructing_Knowledge.pdf. Accessed 2 Dec. 2017.

Blikstein, Paulo, et al. "About the FabLearn Fellows Initiative." Meaningful Making: Projects and Inspirations for Fab Labs and Makerspaces. Constructing Modern Knowledge Press, 2016, p.viii, www.fablearn.stanford.edu/fellows/sites/default/files/Blikstein_Martinez_Pang-Meaningful_Making_book.pdf. Accessed 8 Dec. 2017.

Harel, Idit, and Papert, Seymour. Constructionism: Research Reports and Essays, 1985-1990. Ablex, 1991.

MIT Media Lab. "Edith Ackermann, Developmental Psychologist and Learning Researcher, Dies at 70." MIT News, 28 Dec. 2016, pars. 2-3, www.news.mit.edu/2016/edith-ackermann-developmental-psychologist-learning-researcher-dies-70-1228. Web. Accessed 8 Dec. 2017.

Papert, Seymour. Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas. 2nd ed., Basic Books, 1993.

"Paulo Blikstein — Transformative Learning Technologies Lab." Stanford University, 2017, www.tltl.stanford.edu/people/paulo-blikstein. Web. Accessed 10 Dec. 2017.

Resnick, Mitchel. Introduction. Constructionism in Practice: Designing, Thinking and Learning in a Digital World, by Mitchel Resnick and Yasmin Kafai. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., 1996, p. 1.