From storytelling to story making: children creating stories with tangible computational media

Abstract

Storytelling and making are two of the oldest forms of self-expression. Through stories we give meaning to our everyday experiences making sense of our world. By making physical objects, we can create tangible representations of our ideas that we can share with others. This thesis investigates how to introduce children and educators to StoryMaking, a process that cultivates creative learning by combining new forms of storytelling and new forms of making with technology. In this research, I highlight the process of StoryMaking, exploring ways for children to make physical representations of their personal stories using Tangible Computational Media (T1CM) - a medium that enables them to design and create physical objects with interactive and dynamic behaviors. Through workshops I observed children's StoryMaking explorations with three forms of TCM: paper electronics, programmable projections, and sewable circuits. Based on my observations and the analysis of the artifacts, I share how children represented their personal experiences artistically, electronically, and computationally. Through case studies, I reflect on my experiences facilitating these StoryMaking workshops. Based on these experiences, I describe ten design practices that can help other educators design and facilitate StoryMaking experiences in their learning settings.