In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in making and coding. Across the globe, in formal and informal settings, educational organisations are providing young people with opportunities to make and code. But many of these initiatives are not living up to their full educational potential. Too often, young people are led through step-by-step instructions for learning particular technical skills, and don't engage in the types of project-based, interest-driven, collaborative activities that support the deepest learning experiences and appeal to the broadest range of learners.

In this playful, hands-on session, we will present a new generation of technologies, strategies, and activities that bring together making and coding in ways that engage children's interests while also engaging them with powerful ideas. The session will introduce and offer participants experience with an approach that we call “Computational Tinkering” and we will also highlight the four learning dimensions supported by our tinkering approach: (1) engagement, (2) initiative, (3) social scaffolding, and (4) development of understanding.