What are children learning through workshops?
This is one of the most important questions for us who design and implement workshops.
For example, in workshops including programming conducted at elementary schools, we have attempted to evaluate the outcomes of these programs. In 2008, using Scratch, which had just been released the previous year, we conducted a workshop-style class practice spanning approximately 30 hours at Nara Women’s University Elementary School. The children started with basic programming exercises and progressed to creating their own projects. As a result, it was confirmed that even fourth graders could create programs incorporating the fundamental programming concepts of “sequence,” “looping,” and “branching.”
Furthermore, pre- and post-questionnaire surveys indicated increased interest and engagement with programming and computers. Naturally, the children’s learning and insights extended beyond merely acquiring the program. Through the creation process and the subjects of their projects, a broadening and deepening of diverse interests was evident in their reflection notebooks.
The MIT Media Lab Lifelong Kindergarten Group, which developed Scratch, previously created Cricket, a battery-powered microcomputer. In a workshop-style lesson practice for fourth graders using Cricket, lasting approximately 30 hours, the ability to control motors and sensors and connect to external devices enabled the children’s projects to become more diverse. Consequently, the reflections and learning content evident in their reflection notebooks were also found to be diverse. Furthermore, even in a workshop-style class lasting about 4 hours, it was confirmed that children could create programs incorporating “sequence,” “looping,” and “branching,” and that their interest and enthusiasm for programming and computer-based creation increased.
To understand the children’s learning and insights gained through the workshop more concretely, we are listening to each child’s personal story related to the workshop. Naturally, these stories extend beyond the workshop setting and are deeply connected to their daily lives. For example, we heard numerous episodes where the “act of creating” and the “created work” from the workshop connected to participants’ daily lives. This included creating works inspired by movies popular within their families, taking parts of their creations home to show a younger sibling who couldn’t attend the workshop, playing with the work again at home with family, or even creating new works. These connections extend beyond the home, spreading further through relatives and friends via the works themselves.
Sharing creations involves explaining them, talking about them, playing together, and experimenting. Needless to say, these activities foster new insights and learning. And as Resnick’s Creative Learning Spiral (Imagine – Create – Play – Share – Reflect) illustrates, sharing and reflection fuel the desire to create the next piece.
So, how should we evaluate the learning children gain through such workshops? This question may extend beyond workshops to evaluation in school education as well. We are considering a more dynamic and evolving form of assessment, one that transcends time and place, rather than a momentary, static evaluation measurable on the spot.
The interviews with the children this time were named “Reflection Workshops” and conducted individually with each participant. While reflecting on their previous activities, they considered what they might want to create next and then actually created it together. Some participants remarked, “It’s interesting to participate alone like this sometimes.” Children’s voices are indispensable in evaluating workshops. Moving forward, we intend to continue planning and running reflection workshops to keep asking questions about children’s learning. Reflecting on Learning in Workshops Through these workshops, we’ve gained fresh opportunities to reconsider workshops themselves.
We sincerely thank everyone who participates in our workshops.
Thank you always.