Overview ​
Welcome to the education section of our iGEM 2025 project! Our mission is to make synthetic biology accessible and engaging for everyone. Guided by the educational theory of Constructionism, we developed our unique "Triple P" Framework: Learning by Playing, Learning by Practicing, and Learning by Producing.
This framework forms an iterative cycle where Play sparks curiosity through games and interactive experiences, Practice builds mastery via hands-on experimentation, and Produce deepens understanding by empowering learners to create tangible outcomes.
Crucially, our approach was co-created with our community.
This wiki documents our journey and provides a complete toolkit for others to build upon. We successfully:
- Promoted Dialogue: Through extensive interviews and collaborations, we transformed feedback into action, ensuring our framework was not just theoretically sound but community-driven.
- Enabled Participation: Our activities empowered diverse groups—from children in rural villages to university students—to move from curious observers to active creators in synthetic biology.
- Designed for Legacy: We created a library of reusable, low-cost resources, including lesson plans, game guides, and experiment protocols, to ensure our educational impact continues long after the iGEM competition ends.
Through extensive interviews and collaborations with academics, teachers, students, and the public, we ensured our initiatives are both theoretically sound and genuinely responsive to the needs of our diverse audiences. On this page, you will discover how we translated this philosophy into a wide range of activities, from urban games and picture books to lab experiences and trainer programs, all designed to leave a lasting educational legacy.
Our Educational Philosophy: Constructionism and “Triple P” ​
Theoretical Foundation: Constructionism ​
Our goal is to make synthetic biology accessible and engaging for everyone. We design activities not as one-off events, but as immersive experiences that inspire participants to ask fundamental questions: What is biology? What is synthetic biology? And how does it shape our world?
While a single activity may not transform a participant into an expert, it can plant a seed of curiosity. We strive to make the process of discovering the science behind everyday life joyful and meaningful. It is our hope that through these experiences, participants develop a growing interest in synthetic biology, begin to contemplate its principles, and ultimately apply what they have learned—forming a virtuous cycle of exploration and understanding.
This idea of learning through cycles of curiosity, engagement, and reflection connects directly to our educational philosophy.We root our approach in constructionism, which posits that people learn most effectively when actively engaged in constructing tangible and shareable objects in the real world[1]. It emphasizes meaningful, hands-on experiences, where active and social participation helps learners build a deeper understanding of the world around themm[2][3].
The constructionist learning process often follows a cyclical pattern:
- Identify a Topic: Choose a subject of genuine interest.
- Engage in a Project: Create something related to the topic.
- Collaborate: Work with peers and mentors to discuss ideas and refine the project.
- Reflect: Consider what was learned and how it can be applied.
This process shares strong similarities with the Design-Build-Test-Learn (DBTL) cycle central to synthetic biology. It provides a robust pedagogical foundation for STEM education, which is why we have adopted it as the guiding philosophy for all our activities.
Synthetic biology is, at its core, a constructive discipline. Theory alone is not enough—the key lies in transforming knowledge into real-world applications. Drawing on educational research on constructionist learning, we analyzed and synthesized relevant ideas to develop our “Triple P” framework: Learning by Playing, Learning by Practicing, and Learning by Producing.
You can click here to read our research results.
Our Framework: Triple P ​
Guided by this principle, we developed a framework centered on three interconnected pathways: Learning by Playing, Learning by Practicing, and Learning by Producing.
LEARNING BY PLAYING: The Gateway to Engagement
To spark curiosity, the first essential step is to inspire a genuine desire to explore. We believe the most effective way to achieve this is through play.
Play is a universal language—it transcends age, culture, and background. As children, we learn effortlessly through games, often losing track of time in the process. As adults, play continues to offer joy, creativity, and a pathway to discovery. It creates a low-pressure environment where participants can freely explore complex ideas, build intuition, and develop intrinsic motivation.
By integrating playful experiences into our education, we lower barriers to entry and invite learners to approach synthetic biology without fear, but with fascination.
LEARNING BY PRACTICING: The Path to Mastery
While curiosity initiates the learning journey, abstract concepts can often remain challenging due to their intangible nature. For many learners in synthetic biology, certain knowledge points may appear confusing or difficult to grasp fully. When faced with purely theoretical explanations that feel disconnected from reality, motivation can wane.
That is why we have made learning by practicing a core component of our educational approach. We believe that true understanding comes from direct engagement—translating theory into tangible experience. Through hands-on experimentation, abstract ideas become concrete, enabling learners to actively construct knowledge. In this way, participants evolve from passive recipients into active investigators, gaining not only conceptual clarity but also practical mastery of scientific principles.
LEARNING BY PRODUCING: The Culmination of Understanding
A central question in education is: how can we deepen learning outcomes, promote long-term understanding, and sustain growth after learners have grasped the fundamentals? Our answer is production.
Production empowers learners to become innovators—transforming them from information consumers into knowledge creators. Whether designing a project, developing a presentation, or formulating a new idea, they build upon existing knowledge, independently address gaps, and develop a comprehensive grasp of the subject.
Crucially, producing is not a final destination—it generates new outcomes that spark further exploration, practice, and curiosity, sustaining a continuous cycle of learning and growth.
Triple P: A Cohesive and Iterative Cycle
The Triple P framework—Learning by Playing, Learning by Practicing, and Learning by Producing—is not a set of isolated learning stages, but an iterative ecosystem centered on "curiosity-driven engagement, competency advancement, and value-based closure."
- Play ignites intrinsic curiosity through low-pressure exploration, infusing learning with innate motivation and laying the groundwork for initial ideas.
- Practice transforms this curiosity into targeted skill refinement and conceptual deepening, building a bridge from "emerging ideas" to "mastered methods."
- Produce translates acquired competencies into meaningful outcomes—outcomes that then serve as the starting point for new rounds of Play-based exploration and Practice-driven refinement.
This self-reinforcing cycle breaks away from one-way knowledge transfer. It enables learners to grow into active explorers, competent practitioners, and creative contributors—fostering deep understanding, sustained engagement, and innovation in synthetic biology and beyond.
Build Our Activities in Community Insights ​
To bring the Triple P framework to life, we collaborated with diverse stakeholders whose insights guided our design and refinement. This ensured our program was both rigorous in theory and responsive to real learning needs and social contexts.
Academic Depth - Exchanges with Jilin University ​
Date: May 16th，2025
People: Zhiqin Wang，Huizhen Du，Yixuan Lu
Collaboration: CJUH-JLU-China
To examine the academic validity of our framework, we engaged in discussions with peers and mentors from Jilin University. Their team, CJUH-JLU-China, which received the Nomination of Best Education in iGEM 2024 and possesses extensive experience in the education track, provided critical insights during these exchanges. This dialogue served as an essential initial step to assess the practical feasibility of our theoretical approach.
Why We Conducted This Activities
We aimed to validate the soundness of our educational framework by consulting an experienced team renowned for its success in iGEM’s education category. Their expertise helped us ensure that our approach was both scientifically rigorous and educationally effective.
How We conducted It
We held in-depth conversations with CJUH-JLU-China, during which they shared valuable perspectives from their past projects—including their methodology for identifying core educational theories. A key takeaway was their "wider and deeper" philosophy: expanding reach while maintaining depth. They encouraged us to experiment boldly and emphasized balancing engagement with scientific accuracy. Additionally, they recommended we study the iGEM judge handbook for further guidance.
What We Learned From It
- The discussion reinforced our strategy of using playful methods to engage a broad audience.
- We focus “Play” activities on widespread participation, while reserving “Practice” sessions for older students (middle and high school) who possess the necessary foundational knowledge and operational skills.
- The feedback also prompted us to refine our activity design using official iGEM judge-book, enhancing both relevance and quality.
Practical Frontline - Dialogue with School Teacher ​
Date: May 24th，2025
People: Huizhen Du
To ground our Triple P educational framework in real teaching contexts, we held a focused discussion with Ms. Li Linyu, an experienced teacher from Shanghai Hongshan Middle School. Her frontline perspective helped us assess the practical feasibility of integrating “play” and “practice” into classroom settings.
Why We Conducted This Activity
We sought to validate whether our model aligns with actual student engagement patterns and instructional constraints. Teacher Li’s hands-on expertise provided essential feedback on how to make learning activities both motivating and manageable within a real school environment.
How We Conducted It:
During our conversation, we presented the 3P framework and discussed its potential application. Ms. Li emphasized the natural appeal of gameplay in lowering learning barriers and shared practical challenges such as limited class time and large student numbers.
“For most students, they love to play games! Games make them more willing to listen and engage, because they’re fun. It doesn’t have to be a very sophisticated game—even simple interactions are effective.”
What We Learned From It
The “Play” component is strongly supported as an effective gateway to learning, especially for younger students.
Game design should prioritize engagement and curiosity, even over strict content alignment in introductory phases.
Activities must be modular and easy to implement to fit into tight teaching schedules and varying class sizes.
Involving teachers in the design process is crucial to developing practically viable educational tools.
Social Breadth - Interdisciplinary Interviews ​
Date: From April to June，2025
People: All team members
Why We Conducted This Activity
We aimed to understand how individuals outside STEM perceive synthetic biology, in order to develop more accessible and inclusive educational content. By engaging students from humanities, social sciences, and the arts, we sought to identify common misconceptions, communication barriers, and ethical considerations—ensuring our outreach resonates across diverse backgrounds.
How We Conducted It
We designed a series of semi-structured interviews with students from non-STEM disciplines across multiple universities. The conversations explored their prior knowledge of biology, awareness of synthetic biology, and general attitudes toward emerging biotechnologies. Using open-ended questions, we encouraged reflective and honest responses. Additionally, we discussed the limitations of current science communication approaches and gathered suggestions for improvement.
What We Learn From It
- The primary barrier to public engagement is not a lack of interest, but the absence of accessible entry points into the subject.
- Using everyday analogies instead of technical jargon significantly improves comprehension and relatability.
- Embedding scientific content within ethical, cultural, and social contexts enhances relevance and engagement.
- These insights motivated us to design low-threshold, high-impact activities that welcome participants with little to no science background.
You can read our interview records here.
ReDesign and Rebuild -- The Synthesis: From Insights to Action ​
Our educational framework was co-created with the community. Input from scholars, teachers, and students ensured it was both rigorous and practical.
Building on these insights, we plan to expand into picture books, story-based games, and interactive workshops that make learning participatory and fun. Future hands-on experiments and training sessions will further empower students to explore science independently.
By grounding theory in lived experience, our framework remains rigorous, adaptive, and socially responsive, evolving alongside new audiences and the mission of democratizing synthetic biology.
Our Initial Portfolio ​
With a solid theoretical foundation and guidance from relevant personnel, our next step was to translate the Triple P framework into tangible activities.
Our initial tests covered all three dimensions of the 3P theory:
- Play: We used picture books activity for preliminary attempts,Testing Engagement Through Story and Interaction,
- Practice: We selected daily microbial inoculation as the core experimental activity, building Lab Intuition with Low-Barrier Activities. We aimed to demystify the lab and build foundational skills through highly accessible experiments.
- Produce: We guided participants to transform their understanding of synthetic biology into works via collage poetry.
Activity 1. Picture Book Relay ​
Date: From May to June，2025
People: Huizhen Du
We hypothesized that picture books could serve as a gateway to scientific knowledge, making complex concepts like Gene editing approachable and fun.
How We Conducted it
We improved picture books of the team in previous years, you can read the book clicked here, and piloted it with a new emphasis on family engagement. We encouraged children to learn and then re-tell the story to their parents, creating a sustainable feedback loop for knowledge reinforcement.
- Children first learned the knowledge from the picture books independently.
- They then retold the content to their parents, creating a "knowledge feedback" loop.
- We avoided over-explaining the picture book plot to preserve children’s self-directed learning experience.
If you would like to know more about the event, please click here.
What We Learn from it
Children showed stronger preference for visual content over text, so text in picture books should not occupy a large proportion.
Many parents praised the session, noting that children’s independent reading and retelling fostered better parent-child interaction—parents suggested we avoid guiding children’s reading directly.
Parents also recommended creating a supplementary manual to address potential gaps in children’s self-directed learning , for example: missed key points.
Activity 2. Laboratory Visit and Experience ​
Date: May 17th，2025
Organizers: Zhiqin Wang，Yufan Han
We organized a laboratory open day to provide students with an immersive research experience. The event aimed to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world science by guiding participants through multiple biology labs, introducing diverse research fields, and facilitating direct communication with faculty members and researchers.
How We Conducted It
We designed the visit as an interactive research journey:
- Guided Lab Tours Students visited various research labs in synthetic biology, microbiology, and biophysics, observing equipment and experiments to gain direct exposure to real scientific work.
- Dialogue with Faculty and Researchers Students interacted directly with lab leaders and members, discussing research, careers, and life in science to better connect academic learning with active research.
You can click here to view the details of the activity.
What We Learned from It
The laboratory visit provided valuable lessons in designing research exposure activities:
Direct Exposure Inspires Motivation: Entering real labs and seeing ongoing work significantly enhanced students' interest in scientific careers and helped them visualize their own potential paths in research.
Interaction with Researchers Builds Confidence: Face-to-face conversations with faculty and lab members demystified the research process, making science more approachable and strengthening students' identity as future scientists.
Observational Tours Are Only a First Step: We recognized that while lab tours spark interest, they are not sufficient for building experimental understanding. Moving forward, we plan to develop follow-up hands-on sessions, such as offering simplified experimental kits or organizing weekend lab practicums, to provide continuous, immersive learning pathways from observation to practice.
Figure 9. Our group photo from Lab visit and experience
Activity 3. Microbial Inoculation of Daily Necessities ​
Date: May 18，2025
People: Zhiqin Wang, Yixuan Lu, Peining Wu, Huizhen Du
For Learning by Practicing, we aimed to demystify the lab and build foundational skills through highly accessible experiments. We hypothesized that a simple, relatable experiment could break down barriers to the lab, build confidence ("I can do this"), and reveal the invisible microbial world around us.
How We Conducted it
To break down laboratory barriers and reduce operational difficulty:
- We opened the laboratory to students for hands-on practice.
- Students selected common daily items (e.g., stationery, tableware) as the inoculation objects.
- They observed differences in microbial colony characteristics across items, turning the experiment into an exploratory activity.
If you would like to know more about the event, please click here.
What We Learn from it
- The hands-on experiment was highly popular among students, proving that "Practice" activities with daily relevance can boost engagement.
- Using daily items significantly reduced the experiment’s difficulty, making it accessible to more participants.
- Students suggested adding an art element, for excample: laboratory-themed painting to the inoculation activity to enhance fun and creativity.
You can click here to see the feedback from the students.
Activity 4. Garden Party ​
Date: March 28th，2025
People: Peining Wu, Yuxin Duan, Zuyao Wu, Yue Yue, Huizhen Du
Garden parties allow us to reach a diverse audience with different backgrounds—our goal was to test a multi-activity model: using "Play" -- games to attract participants, using "Practice" -- interactive operations to deepen understanding, and finally guiding participants to "Produce" creative works -- collage poetry to solidify their knowledge of synthetic biology.
If you would like to know more about the event, please click here.
How We Conducted it
We designed three linked activities:
Balloon Puppy Making
Using our team logo as inspiration, we designed a family-friendly balloon-making activity. Participants created their own balloon puppies—an instant icebreaker and fun takeaway.
Rules and Ghost Stories
Inspired by horror-adventure games, we designed a three-chapter puzzle game themed around synthetic biology. Participants learned about microorganisms and lab safety through interactive challenges that turned science learning into an engaging adventure.
You can click here to view our games
Collage Poetry Creation
At this creative station, participants expressed what they learned through collage poetry. Using a curated set of synthetic biology terms and meme templates, they crafted personalized poems that connected science with popular culture in an approachable, playful way.
What We Learn from It
More than 300 people participated in this event. The Garden Party taught us as much as it did our participants. It revealed what works, what doesn’t, and where the sweet spot lies in designing public engagement activities:
- Diverse Activities Maximize Reach: Activities where participants could take home a physical product (e.g., a balloon puppy or personalized poem) were especially valued.
- Tangible Takeaways Enhance Engagement: Activities that resulted in a physical product for participants to take home—whether a self-made balloon puppy or a personalized poem—were particularly valued. This underscored the importance of providing a concrete and personal memento of the experience.
- Balancing Challenge and Accessibility is Key: The puzzle-based game engaged some but was too complex for others, highlighting the need to calibrate difficulty.
- Creative Constraints Can Guide Output: Providing a curated word bank stimulated creativity, but outcomes depended heavily on material selection.
- Use Familiar Cultural References: Leveraging well-known concepts (e.g., balloon art, internet memes) made synthetic biology feel accessible and relevant.
LEARNING BY PLAYING ​
For Children: to structure environments -- Classroom & Family Engagement
Early science education plays a decisive role in shaping curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Primary science education ensures that children are not merely passive recipients of knowledge but active participants who question, investigate, and explore. Positive early experiences can even influence students’ career aspirations and help bridge the gender gap in STEM fields[4].
As a result, children are a key audience for our activities. With limited prior knowledge of biology, our first goal was to spark their curiosity through relatable, real-world examples. We designed playful, curriculum-aligned activities that help them see science in everyday life and share it with others—spreading knowledge beyond the classroom.
My Microb Friends -- Picturebook ​
Date: From June to July，2025
Organizers: Huizhen Du, Xiuqi Tian
Collaboration: AFMU-China
The Elevator Pitch
Picture books are a favorite among children, making them an ideal medium for introducing synthetic biology through engaging stories. Since previous teams’ books didn’t fit our theme, we created new picture books with fresh, age-appropriate content to make learning enjoyable.
Design and Implementation
Together with AFMU-China, we created a picture book called My Microbial Friend.
In this story, microorganisms become friendly characters who “talk” to children, guiding them through the fascinating microscopic world. Yeast represents fungi, E. coli represents bacteria, and the hepatitis virus introduces the idea of viruses. Through these characters, children can explore the invisible world around them, think about how microbes affect daily life, and develop curiosity for science — all while having fun. You can also click here to read the Chinese version
Learned from the previous event, we created a supplementary parent guide (Chinese version) for parents. These parts include explanations and ideas for simple activities, encouraging families to read and learn together. In this way, our picture book becomes more than just a story — it becomes a shared journey of discovery.
Outcome
Our activities are loved by children and parents. Everyone realized that there are so many microorganisms in life.
Interactive Science workshop ​
To spark lasting interest in science, we focused on interactive workshops. Students learn by experimenting, observing, and collaborating, turning science into a fun, inclusive, and engaging adventure that inspires them to think like explorers and problem-solvers.
In order to allow more children to receive our education, we choose to go into the community to reach more children. We collaborated with Dalian Road Community Neighbor Center, Jiangpu Road Subdistrict, Chenjiatou Community Neighbor Center, Jiangpu Road Subdistrict and Lingqiao No.7 Residents’ Committee, Gaoqiao Town, bringing a variety of workshop activities to local children.
Workshop 1: Gene & Protein
Date: July 15th，2025
Organizers: Huizhen Du，Yuxin Duan，Yining Zhao
Overview
DNA and proteins form the foundation of biology and play central roles in synthetic biology. Because of their importance — and their direct connection to questions children naturally ask — we chose Genes and Proteins (the presentation file) as the theme for our first lesson.
Educational Design
To stimulate curiosity, we began with guiding questions such as:
- Why are we different from others?
- Why is everyone unique?
These questions naturally led to the key concept: genes control protein synthesis, and proteins determine traits. The lesson focused on helping children understand what DNA is and how genetic information is expressed through proteins.
Learning by Playing Activities
When teaching, the key points were what DNA is and how DNA controls protein synthesis.
DNA Origami – We continued last year's DNA origami interaction, helping children grasp DNA's double-helix structure. Children folded paper into the double helix, gaining a tangible feel for DNA’s structure.
Base-Matching Game – We also improved last year's base-matching game to help children understand the principle of base complementary pairing — through this interaction, they gained a comprehensive view of base-pairing rules. Using an interactive card-matching system, students practiced complementary base pairing, reinforcing rules through play.
Molecular Role-Play – Moreover, to explain transcription and translation (“DNA → RNA → protein”), we organized a role-playing stage play where children acted out different molecular roles and functions. You can read our play clicking here. Acting as DNA, RNA, and ribosomes, children performed transcription and translation. This theater-style game brought the central dogma to life in a way that was both fun and unforgettable.
Outcomes
Through play, children not only understood the principles of DNA and protein synthesis but also developed the confidence to explain them in their own words.
One student proudly shared:
"Mom, why do I look like you? Wow, because your DNA was passed down to me, and it helps synthesize proteins — so I look like you!"
Survey results showed:
- Comprehension: A significant improvement in understanding gene–protein relationships.
- Engagement: Nearly all participants rated the activities as “fun” and “easy to follow.”
- Interest: Many expressed greater curiosity about biology after the workshop.
You can view the full questionnaire and results here.
Workshop 2: Bread Fermentation
Date: July 17th and 23th，2025
Organizers: Huizhen Du，Yuxin Duan，Yixuan Lu
Overview
Bread is a food almost every child knows and loves — and in Shanghai, with its rich bread culture, it’s especially familiar. Starting from this everyday experience, we introduced children to the science behind a simple but fascinating question: Why does bread rise? hoping them undertsand cell breath, knowing the basic information about synbiology.
Educational Design
We began with the observation that dough “gets bigger.” Children were encouraged to guess why, which led them to discover yeast — a living microorganism. From there, they learned that yeast produces gas through cellular respiration, which makes bread soft and airy.
To spark creativity, we share the latest advances in yeast research and ask the children:If you could change yeast, what would you want it to make? we get the answer that:Plastic, Natural coloring, Even cakes and so on. Their imaginative answers are always surprising and inspiring.
Learning by Playing Activities
Observation & Discovery – Watching dough rise and linking it to yeast activity.
Creative Brainstorming – Imagining new products yeast could make if redesigned.
Balloon Puppies – To visualize yeast’s grape-like clusters, we guided children in making balloon puppies (our team’s logo). This playful craft activity not only improved motor skills but also created a vivid analogy for microbial clustering.
Outcomes
Children connected their love of bread with a new scientific perspective: microbes as tiny helpers in daily life. The creative activity further encouraged them to think about synthetic biology as a tool for invention.
Key results included:
- Stronger understanding of yeast and respiration.
- Increased excitement about biology through hands-on play.
- Inspiring, imaginative answers that showed children could link science with creativity.
You can view the full questionnaire and results here.
Workshop 3: Microbes Are Everywhere
Date: July 24th，2025
Organizers: Huizhen Du，Zhiqin Wang，Zhongyi Huang
Overview
Children know they should wash their hands, but often don’t understand why. To make the invisible microbial world tangible, our workshop showed that microbes are everywhere—on our hands, in the environment, and inside our bodies—and can be both helpful and harmful. We aimed to connect microbes with daily life, explain their role in disease, and introduce microbial resistance in an age-appropriate way.
Education Design
To make the invisible world of microbes engaging and memorable, we followed our theme of Learning by Playing. The lesson combined basic knowledge about bacteria, fungi, and viruses with interactive activities that demonstrated concepts such as infection and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Rather than relying on passive lectures, we encouraged children to learn through movement, experiments, creativity, and storytelling.
Learning by Playing Activities
Microbial Squat – Adapted from the popular “Turnip Squat” game, this energetic activity required students to squat while chanting microbe names and giving examples, turning abstract knowledge into physical memory.
AMR Mini-Experiment (“Resistance Mystery”) Using the analogy of microbes as “monsters” and drugs as “weapons,” we demonstrated how repeated attacks can lead to resistance. A simple ink-diffusion experiment helped children visualize the concept of antimicrobial resistance.
Figure 19. We are conducting the AMR Mini-ExperimentImmune Role-Play (“Microbial Variations”) – Children acted as immune cells defending the body from invading microbes, experiencing firsthand how the immune system detects and eliminates pathogens.
- Painting Expression – After the course, children were invited to create drawings of “the microbes in their hearts.” This activity encouraged imagination, reflection, and creative expression of what they had learned.
Outcomes
Through play, children moved from hearing about microbes to experiencing them. The workshop successfully transformed the invisible microbial world into something visible, memorable, and fun.
Post-event feedback showed:
A clearer understanding of what microbes are and where they exist in daily life.
Recognition of both the beneficial and harmful roles of microbes.
An introductory grasp of antimicrobial resistance and its implications.
Stronger engagement thanks to the mix of movement, play, and role-based storytelling.
You can view the full questionnaire and results here.
For Digital Natives: to gamify outreach -- Digital Platforms & Interactive Installations
Our education theme, Learning by Playing, is not limited to children. We believe that young people and the general public also learn best when science becomes interactive, social, and fun. As digital natives and social explorers, they are drawn to experiences that feel engaging, shareable, and connected to their daily lives.
To reach this audience, we designed activities that blend gamification, digital platforms, and urban interaction. From an online gene-editing game to a city-wide synthetic biology challenge, we transformed synthetic biology into something that could be played, explored, and experienced — making biology relevant not only in textbooks, but also in the streets, screens, and shared culture of modern life.
BIO-BOUNCE ​
Date: From July to October，2025
Organizers: Yufan Han，Huizhen Du
Collaboration: USTC, NUDT-CHINA
Format
Browser-based casual game
Concept
Players use “genetic scissors” to edit their character’s DNA. By altering genes, they change the character’s visible traits, which determines success in overcoming in-game challenges.
Educational Value
- Demonstrates the relationship between genes and traits.
- Introduces tools of synthetic biology (e.g., gene editing concepts) in simplified form.
- Reinforces the idea that biology is modular and programmable, just like a game.
Design Features
- Parkour-style level clearing: fast-paced, easy to replay.
- Points system: incentivizes continued play and friendly competition.
- Low barrier of entry: playable anytime, anywhere, without prior science background.
Impact
The game became popular among students because it felt like a real game, not a classroom exercise. Its shareability and scoring system helped spread it organically, increasing both reach and visibility for synthetic biology education.
Figure 23. The participant is playing BIO-BOUNCE
You can enjoy it click here.
SynbioSH ​
Date: July 6th，2025
Organizers: Huizhen Du
Collaborators: ShanghaiTech-China, SITU-BioX-Shanghai
- Format: Urban orienteering + puzzle solving
Concept
Participants used their phones to navigate Shanghai landmarks, where they encountered synthetic biology–themed checkpoints. Each checkpoint offered an interactive challenge that tied synthetic biology principles to real-world contexts.
You can read the Chinese version of the task book here.
- Checkpoint Highlights
- Crossword Puzzles: Learned common synthetic biology terms through wordplay.
- Park Exploration: Identified symbiotic fungi by observing plants, connecting microbiology to ecology.
- Protein Role-Play: Participants acted as proteins to simulate the path of protein synthesis, reinforcing the central dogma through embodied learning.
- Food and Health Investigation: Explored nutrition facts to understand links between diet, microbes, and disease.
- Science & Technology Building: Matched architectural structures with organelle functions, linking cell biology to modern design.
Social Dimension
- Most participants joined in small teams, promoting communication, problem-solving, and collaboration.
- The mix of physical exploration and digital tools mirrored how youth engage with both the online and offline world.
Impact
- Transformed Shanghai into a living laboratory where synthetic biology could be discovered in everyday places.
- Attracted not only students but also young professionals and families, broadening public exposure to biology.
- Sparked conversations about the relevance of synthetic biology to food, health, environment, and technology.
Figure 25. Photo of SynbioSH in progress
If you would like to know more about the event, please click here.
Reflection
Although we did not conduct formal surveys, the strong participation and enthusiasm we observed demonstrate that gamification and urban exploration are powerful tools for science outreach. Key insights include:
- Accessibility: Online and urban formats lowered barriers, inviting participants with diverse backgrounds.
- Engagement: The mix of play, teamwork, and curiosity made learning active rather than passive.
- Relevance: By embedding synthetic biology into digital play and city life, we showed that science is not distant — it is part of culture and daily experience.
Through the Website Game and SynbioSH, we extended our philosophy of Learning by Playing to new audiences. These activities proved that synthetic biology can be not just a subject to study, but a world to explore and a game to play.
LEARNING BY PRACTICING ​
We designed a progressive pathway of practice-based activities:
Building Lab Intuition — “I can do this.”Microbial Painting turned invisible microbes into visible art, helping participants gain confidence while practicing aseptic technique and observation.
Understanding Processes — “I can learn it and practice.”
Activities like Rice Wine Production and Practice + X linked science to culture and daily life, showing not just what happens but why, illustrating concepts like microbial metabolism and environmental regulation.
These experiences guided participants from curiosity to understanding, equipping them with skills and a mindset of inquiry, iteration, and intellectual courage.
Microbial Painting ​
I can do this -- Building Lab Intuition
Date: September 12th，2025
Organizers: Yining Zhao，Yuxin Duan，Zhiqin Wang，Huizhen Du
Collaboration: Nanjing-China, SJTU-BioX-Shanghai, ZJU-China, USTC
Overview
Hands-on experience is essential for building confidence in experimental science. To help participants overcome initial apprehensions about lab work, we designed Microbial Painting—an activity that merges microbiology with visual art, making the first encounter with microorganisms both engaging and creatively stimulating.
Implementation
Following our earlier microbial inoculation activity, participants suggested incorporating artistic elements to deepen engagement. In response, we developed this session in collaboration with Nanjing-China, SJTU-BioX-Shanghai, ZJU-China, USTC, combining microbiology with art.
Using safe bacterial strains—some genetically engineered to fluoresce—participants “painted” directly onto agar plates using sterile loops and cotton swabs. This required careful attention to aseptic technique, helping build foundational lab skills in an intuitive and visually rewarding context.
As the bacterial colonies grew over the following days, each participant’s design emerged in vivid detail. The activity allowed everyone to observe microbial growth patterns, colony morphology, and the tangible outcomes of genetic engineering in an artistic format.
Outcome
The workshop received highly positive feedback, with participants expressing enthusiasm for the blend of science and creativity. Many reported a stronger sense of connection to microbiology and greater confidence in handling microorganisms. By turning an introductory lab exercise into a creative endeavor, we reinforced the idea that scientific practice can be both rigorous and imaginative—an essential insight for aspiring synthetic biologists.
You can check out participants' feedback on their activities here.
Rice Wine Making ​
I can see how it works -- I enjoy it
Date: May 18th，2025
Organizers: Huizhen Du，Zhiqin Wang，Yixuan Lu，Xiuqi Tian，Jihua Tang，Zuyao Wu
Overview
Rice wine, a traditional Chinese food, embodies rich biological principles. While many are familiar with it, few have had the opportunity to make it themselves. To offer a hands-on experience and deepen understanding of yeast cell respiration, we organized a rice wine-making activity.
Our iGEM team designed this event around the “Learning by Practicing” approach, using traditional Chinese food culture as an engaging starting point. Participants took part in the entire process—from pretreating glutinous rice and activating yeast to inoculating the culture, regulating fermentation conditions, and finally producing their own rice wine.
You can read our presentation file click here.
Implementation
Through direct involvement, participants were able to observe yeast fermentation firsthand: CO₂ release visible as bubbling, and the development of complex flavors from alcohol and other metabolites. This transformed the abstract concept of a “microbial cell factory” into a tangible, living phenomenon.
By investigating practical questions—such as how temperature and yeast strains influence alcohol content and flavor—participants gained intuitive insight into core scientific principles, including the dependence of microbial metabolism on environmental conditions and the regulation of microbes for specific product synthesis.
Reflection and Learn
This method not only made synthetic biology more relatable through cultural context, but also strengthened the connection between microorganisms and everyday life through active creation—fully reflecting iGEM’s educational goal of bringing science closer to the public.
Additionally, some students identified Aspergillus brunneus, a microbial species that appeared during fermentation. This unexpected discovery prompted independent research and discussion around why it occurred. By examining the microbe’s growth conditions within the experimental context, participants deepened their understanding of microbial ecosystems and the dynamics of fermentation.
Practice + X ​
I can learn from how it works
Date: From July to August，2025
Organizers: Huizhen Du
Overview
Many biological processes are hidden in everyday life: yogurt fermentation, mold growth on food, the browning of apples, and more. Because these phenomena are so familiar, people often overlook the biological principles behind them.
Practice + X was designed to turn these everyday observations into opportunities for scientific discovery. Participants not only recognized what happens, but also learned why it happens, moving from casual observation to process-based understanding.This five-day program gradually built a conceptual framework for understanding life processes. By connecting each experiment to a real-world phenomenon, we lowered the cognitive barrier, encouraged analytical thinking, and prepared participants to engage more deeply with the logic of synthetic biology.
You can read the Chinese version of the manual here.
Implementation
This five-day program gradually built a conceptual framework for understanding life processes. By connecting each experiment to a real-world phenomenon, we lowered the cognitive barrier, encouraged analytical thinking, and prepared participants to engage more deeply with the logic of synthetic biology.
Each day focused on a specific theme and experiment:
- Observation — Searching for microbes in soil, yogurt, or moldy bread and realizing their abundance in daily life.
- Transformation — Making yogurt to see how microbes convert raw ingredients into valuable products.
- Comparison — Investigating apple browning to understand how enzymes respond to different environments.
- Visualization — Extracting DNA from fruit to make the invisible blueprint of life visible.
- Reflection — Recording insights through writing or drawing, consolidating key concepts in fermentation, enzyme activity, and DNA as the program of life.
By connecting everyday phenomena with scientific principles, participants moved step by step from “What happens?” to “Why does it happen?”, and finally to “How can I explore further?”.
Reflection and Learning
This program is designed to help participants understand biological processes by experiencing them directly. Each activity reveals not only what happens in nature but also how it happens, guiding participants to move beyond simple observation toward process-based understanding. By completing this five-day program, participants are expected to develop a clearer conceptual framework for biological phenomena, aligning with the goal of “Understanding Processes — I see how it works.” This experiential approach fosters analytical thinking and prepares participants to engage more deeply with the principles and applications of synthetic biology.
In view of the suggestions of the previous picture book activities, we have also created a supplementary manual for this activity to provide more information for children or to help participants better understand the experimental principles, have a deeper understanding of biology, and stimulate their interest.
You can click here to read our activity supplementary manual.
LEARNING BY PRODUCING ​
After participants acquire hands-on experience through “Learning by Practicing,” they gain a comprehensive understanding of synthetic biology concepts. For learners with certain research skills, the next step is Learning by Producing: creating their own projects, applying knowledge to real problems, and achieving deeper learning through output-driven engagement.
By producing tangible results, participants internalize knowledge, consolidate understanding, and experience the full cycle of scientific inquiry — from exploration to creation.
SynBio Training Program ​
Date: From January 6th to January 15th ，2025
Organizers: All members
Overview
This synthetic biology training program is designed to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Based on the "Learning by Producing" approach, it empowers participants to master design thinking through hands-on project creation. By moving directly from real-world problems to proposed solutions, the program transforms learners into active creators—equipping them with the tools to develop feasible project plans while deepening their understanding of synthetic biology as an engineering science.
Implement
Our activities can be divided into four parts:
- Foundational training—tools for project design We start with 2–3 sessions focused on practical methods: identifying real-world entry points, applying module decomposition, and using literature search and feasibility analysis templates. Instead of general lectures, the goal is to equip participants with concrete tools for drafting a qualified project plan.
Table 1. Training Schedule
| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 Jan 6 | Intro test & screening | iGEM intro, teamwork & rules | Ice-breaking & brainstorming |
| Day 2 Jan 7 | Intro to Molecular Biology | Research skills & literature | Project refinement |
| Day 3 Jan 8 | PK Round 1 | Wiki tools: Markdown & images | 2024 Fudan iGEM sharing |
| Day 4 Jan 9 | Project refinement | SnapGene & Parts design | Design basics |
| Day 5 Jan 10 | Wiki & Modeling (online) | Business workshop | Software tools |
| Day 6 Jan 11 | Project refinement | Case Study: Estonia GP 2023 | Art & Design skills |
| Day 7 Jan 12 | PK Round 2 + Feedback | Case Study: McGill GP 2023 | Project refinement |
| Day 8 Jan 13 | Project refinement | Online case study (guest) | Project refinement |
| Day 9 Jan 14 | Project refinement | Human Practice & Safety | Project refinement |
| Day 10 Jan 15 | PK Round 3: Final presentation | Education, Inclusivity, Measurement & SDGs | Closing & conclusion |
- Topic guidance—direction without limits We provide 5–6 topic directions based on daily relevance and suitable difficulty. Clear direction prevents stagnation, while open-ended exploration fosters independent thinking. Participants learn synthetic biology design logic through hands-on exploration and validation.
- Ongoing support—shaping complete outcomes Midway, we hold group Q&As and invite mentors for feedback. Later, workshops help transform scattered data into structured reports and refine ideas into technical roadmaps. The final result is a “Project Portfolio” with educational and reuse value.
- Value extension—closing the loop Participants not only complete projects but also see their work applied in education. This process reinforces “learning by producing,” ensuring both mastery of design logic and recognition of practical impact.
Outcome
This program combines tool-based training, guided topics, and open exploration to bridge the gap between traditional education and practical application. It empowers participants to internalize knowledge through creation and achieve capability advancement through output, genuinely cultivating the engineering mindset and design skills essential for synthetic biology.
Torch plan ​
When iGEM meets Education
Date: From April to May ，2025
Organizers: Huizhen Du，Yue Yue
Overview
The Torch Plan is an innovative educational initiative designed to bridge synthetic biology and teacher education. By collaborating with future educators, we transform complex iGEM research topics into engaging, child-friendly learning materials, promoting sustainable science communication and achieving the educational goals of Learning by Producing.This initiative creates a collaborative platform where iGEM team members and education students combine their expertise. Through structured workshops and co-creation sessions, we transform complex scientific concepts into engaging educational content tailored for children aged 5-10.
Implement
Our initiative is structured into three cohesive phases that reflect our collaborative workflow:
Project Introduction & Knowledge Transfer
We presents our research project o education students using visually engaging and simplified explanations. Together, we identify and extract key synthetic biology concepts embedded in the project, forming a "core knowledge list" that includes fundamental ideas like microorganisms, basics of genetic engineering, and resistance principles. This phase establishes a shared understanding and a solid foundation for developing educational content.
Figure 35. The photo of project introduction in progressEducational Analysis & Adaptation
In this stage, we and education students jointly analyze how to transform the extracted knowledge points into child-appropriate lessons. The collaboration focuses on three critical aspects:
- Language Adaptation: converting technical terms into everyday, relatable expressions
- Interaction Design: incorporating games and hands-on activities.
- Logical Flow: organizing the content from familiar real-life phenomena to scientific principles, ensuring it aligns with children's cognitive patterns.
Figure 36. We are having a discussion on the plan with participantsCo-Creation & Output Production
Both groups work together to design and produce ready-to-use PowerPoint presentations. We ensures all scientific content remains accurate, while the education students contribute pedagogical expertise to make the materials age-appropriate and engaging. Through rounds of iterative feedback and refinement, we co-create final teaching resources that are both fun and educationally effective.
Figure 37. The PPT made jointly by us
Outcome
The Torch Plan achieved dual benefits. Education students gained hands-on experience applying pedagogical theory to frontier science, while iGEMers improved their ability to translate complex concepts for the public. The collaboration produced tangible teaching resources that can continue to be reused as “seed materials” in future classrooms, ensuring long-term sustainability.
These resources have already been implemented in our Interactive Science workshop activities, where enthusiastic responses from children validated their effectiveness. Education students also reported increased confidence in their teaching ability after seeing how their materials came alive in real classrooms.
Yinying Pan, one participant, reflected that the program helped her rethink education across disciplines. She realized that methods like inquiry-based learning and project-based activities could be applied in her English teaching, showing how synthetic biology education inspires innovation beyond the life sciences.
As an English education student, the Torch Plan showed me how synthetic biology can enrich teaching. I explored integrating science into English lessons—using scientific vocabulary, readings, or student projects—to make learning more engaging. This experience highlighted the value of interdisciplinary collaboration, and next year I plan to volunteer in rural schools, sharing these ideas so more children can enjoy synthetic biology.
All in all, the Torch Plan successfully demonstrates how iGEM's synthetic biology research can intersect with education to create meaningful, lasting impact. By empowering future teachers with both scientific knowledge and practical teaching tools, we ensure that synthetic biology education continues to inspire young minds long after the iGEM competition ends.
Education Beyond Limits ​
Commitment to Inclusion, to bridge generations & backgrounds
We believe that science should be truly accessible and beneficial to everyone, regardless of age, background, or geographic location. This year, we specifically focused on reaching often overlooked groups—the elderly, migrant children, and students in rural areas—by designing tailored activities that address their unique circumstances and needs.
- Elderly individuals are often vulnerable to misinformation about biotechnology and may feel excluded from fast-changing science.
- Migrant children in urban centers face instability in education due to family mobility, limited resources, and barriers to cultural integration.
- Rural students frequently lack access to advanced resources, equipment, and educators, widening the gap in science learning opportunities.
Our goal was to bring these groups back into the conversation, empower them with knowledge, and foster trust between communities and technology.
Rumor Stopping ​
Building Scientific Literacy for the Elderly
Date: September 20th，2025
Organizers: Huizhen Du, Zhongyi Huang
Collaboration: SUSTech-Med
Overview
Elderly communities are often targeted by false advertisements and “miracle cure” products that misuse scientific terms like “synthetic biology,” “gene editing,” or “stem cells.” These scams not only waste money but also foster fear, distrust, or overconfidence toward biotechnology.
We collaborated with the SUSTech-Med to launch the “Rumor Stop” campaign (presentation file). During the process, we found that although Shenzhen and Shanghai — both first-tier cities with strong foundations in science education — offer many resources, large numbers of elderly people still lack sufficient understanding of cutting-edge technology. Some lawbreakers exploit this gap to commit fraud under the guise of “synthetic biology.”
To further verify this issue, we conducted a special survey. In the first half of 2025, Shanghai investigated and handled 2,182 fraud cases, 37 of which were transferred to public security for further action. The SUS team also identified similar risks in Shenzhen through in-depth community research. More importantly, survey data revealed that many elderly people have significant cognitive biases in health and technology knowledge. Topic interest analysis showed that 90.7% of the elderly are highly interested in health preservation, followed by 50.0% in fraud prevention.
You can click here to view our research situation.
Based on these findings, our two teams jointly carried out popular science activities themed on synthetic biology in both Shanghai and Shenzhen. This initiative aimed to bridge the gap in elderly understanding of technology and prevent fraud from the source.
Educational Design
Rather than relying on traditional lectures, we adopted a Learning by Playing approach that mixed clear explanations with interactive scenarios. The workshop covered five core components:
Debunking False Claims — We analyzed unscientific claims such as “CRISPR cures all cancers” and “stem cell detox drinks,” clarifying why they are misleading.
Showcasing Real Synthetic Biology Products — Examples like semaglutide and artemisinin illustrated how rigorously tested and approved biotech products are developed.
Providing Practical Tips — Participants learned to spot red flags like skipped clinical trials, exaggerated “cure-all” promises, and misuse of technical terms.
Scenario Interpretation (Mini-Theater) – Participants role-played as salespeople, customers, and doctors, performing pitches and rebuttals to expose marketing tricks in an engaging way.
Q&A Session – An open discussion allowed participants to share personal experiences with suspicious products and receive facilitator guidance.
Figure 41. We communicate with participant
Outcome
To make the campaign’s impact sustainable, we collaborated with a number of universities, mainly Jilin University to produce a Rumor Clarification Handbook, which participants could take home and use to continue practicing critical thinking when encountering health-related claims.
While we did not conduct a formal survey, participants showed high enthusiasm and active participation. The scenario interpretation in particular made the session lively and memorable — participants laughed, improvised, and confidently spotted the “red flags” of pseudoscience. Many reported feeling more prepared to discuss health products with friends and family.
In a follow-up conversation, the community teacher highlighted the local prevalence of health product scams targeting vulnerable elderly residents, affirming the practical relevance of our workshop.
This workshop demonstrated how role-play and humor can be powerful tools for teaching scientific literacy to older adults. By combining scientific explanation, survey insights, and playful learning, we showed that synthetic biology is not distant or intimidating, but rather knowledge that protects and empowers communities.
Migrant Children ​
Opening Doors to Science
Date: May 31th and June 21th，2025
Organizers: Huizhen Du，Yue Yue
Overview
Urbanization has brought large numbers of migrant children into cities, but educational resources have not always kept pace. Many of these children come from low-income households, where parents often lack the time or educational background to support learning. Financial pressures and limited opportunities for cultural integration further impact their academic progress and emotional development[5].
To address these challenges, we partnered with the Sunflower Education Institution to design and deliver two engaging courses — Genes & Proteins and Bread Fermentation. Using storytelling, hands-on experiments, and collaborative games, we created learning experiences that made biology accessible and enjoyable. These activities helped children not only gain basic scientific knowledge but also feel included, valued, and empowered.
Outcome
Our aim was to show them that science is not distant or elitist, but something they can explore and enjoy. These sessions nurtured curiosity, boosted confidence, and created a sense of belonging.
During the activity, we also identified specific challenges in the learning process of migrant children. We shared this feedback with Sunflower’s teachers and expressed our commitment to continue collaborating, so that future activities can better support these students’ unique educational needs.
You can click here to view our feedback report
Rural Students ​
Bringing Science to Remote Villages
Date: From June to July，2025
Organizers: Huizhen Du
Overview
One of the core missions of our iGEM education program is to break down geographic barriers to cutting-edge science education. Rural children should have the same opportunity as their urban peers to explore synthetic biology and develop innovative thinking.
In collaboration with the Youth League Committee of the Department of Physics, we brought our curriculum directly into classrooms in remote mountain villages — areas that often lack quality educational materials and experienced teachers.
Outcome
This initiative not only gave rural students access to basic concepts of synthetic biology but also helped them view science as approachable and useful for their own lives. By engaging in interactive experiments, they gained confidence, moved beyond memorization, and discovered that creativity is part of scientific thinking. Most importantly, the workshops inspired a sense of possibility — showing that science is not abstract or distant, but a tool that can help address real challenges in their communities and contribute to sustainable development in their hometowns.
You can click here for more information.
Virtuous Cycle: Reusability, Legacy, and Reflection ​
Creating a Self-Sustaining Educational Ecosystem ​
Our Play–Practice–Produce framework forms a dynamic, self-reinforcing educational cycle that drives continuous engagement and deeper learning in synthetic biology.
- Play lowers barriers through relatable, engaging activities—such as games and picture books—sparking interest among diverse audiences from elementary students to rural learners.
- Practice builds on this interest with hands-on experiments like at-home lab kits, helping participants grasp concepts like microbial metabolism and genetic engineering.
- Produce empowers learners to create tangible outputs—from presentations to improved protocols. These outputs re-enter the cycle; for example, a university-level PPT becomes a children’s animation, and a student-refined protocol enhances a practice kit. Learners become contributors, ensuring the ecosystem grows sustainably.
Designing for Reusability and Legacy ​
All resources were designed to be reusable and to leave a lasting educational legacy:
- Reusability: Play resources are low-cost and customizable; Practice kits use accessible materials with open protocols; Produce outputs are organized into a searchable digital library for easy adoption by future teams, teachers, and schools.
- Legacy: These materials form an open educational archive that extends beyond iGEM. Our lesson plans have been used in community programs, and experiments adopted at campus events—ensuring lasting impact and inspiring future synthetic biology education.
Our Own Education: The Team's Learning Journey ​
What we experience is also our education.
Self-Education ​
As we built this educational ecosystem, our team grew through the same Play–Practice–Produce cycle:
In Play, we learned to simplify complex ideas—like explaining plasmid design as “microbial building blocks”—deepening our own understanding.
In Practice, we embraced the user’s perspective, translating protocols into everyday language and strengthening our science communication skills.
In Production, we collaborated across disciplines, discovering that effective outreach means reconstructing knowledge around the audience’s world—using stories before principles, questions before answers.
Self-Reflection ​
Reflection is an integral part of our cycle, ensuring that every activity is meaningful, student-centered, and effective. Throughout implementation, our team consistently asked:
- Is this activity truly beneficial?
- How can we design and run impactful sessions?
- How would participants perceive the activity?
- How can we engage in dialogue and co-create learning experiences with students?
This reflective practice feeds back into the ecosystem, enabling us to refine Play, Practice, Produce, and Share activities for greater engagement and learning outcomes. By observing, questioning, and iterating, we continually optimize the curriculum, adapt teaching strategies, and improve accessibility. Reflection also enhances our team’s own growth—teaching us how to communicate science, collaborate effectively, and design for long-term educational impact.
Ultimately, what we gained went far beyond subject expertise. We learned how to co-create with diverse groups, how to design for scalability and empathy, and how to turn criticism into better design. These insights represent the most valuable outcome of our education journey—one that we now share proudly as part of our iGEM legacy.
Conclusion ​
Our education initiative is built on the Constructionism learning theory and implemented through our unique "Triple P" framework: Play → Practice → Produce.
We sparked curiosity through interactive games, urban challenges, and a children's picture book. We built understanding via hands-on experiments like microbial art and rice wine brewing. We empowered creation through a synbio training program and our Torch Plan, where we co-developed educational materials with future teachers.
All activities were co-created with our community through interviews with teachers, academics, and students. We designed our projects for long-term impact, creating reusable materials to ensure our educational legacy continues beyond iGEM.
We hope to inspire everyone to understand the face of synthetic biology through continuous in-depth activities. We have completed our education, and at the same time, we have completed our own education.
Note: All images were used with consent. For minors, authorization was obtained from their parents or guardians.
Reference ​
Gutiérrez Posada, J. (2017). Tangible and Shared Storytelling: Searching for the Social Dimension of Constructionism. DOI: 10.1145/3078072.3079743 ↩︎
Papavlasopoulou, S., Giannakos, M. N., & Jaccheri, L. (2019). Exploring children's learning experience in constructionism-based coding activities through design-based research. Computers in Human Behavior, 99, 415-427. DOI: DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2019.01.008 ↩︎
Downey, R. J., Youmans, K., Villanueva Alarcón, I., Nadelson, L., & Bouwma-Gearhart, J. (2022). Building Knowledge Structures in Context: An Exploration of How Constructionism Principles Influence Engineering Student Learning Experiences in Academic Making Spaces Education Sciences (12, pp.). ↩︎
Master A, Cheryan S, Moscatelli A, Meltzoff AN. Programming experience promotes higher STEM motivation among first-grade girls. J Exp Child Psychol. 2017 Aug;160:92-106. DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2017.03.013. Epub 2017 Apr 21. PMID: 28433822. ↩︎
Ma, G., & Wu, Q. (2019). Social capital and educational inequality of migrant children in contemporary China: A multilevel mediation analysis. Children and Youth Services Review, 99, 165-171. DOI: DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.02.002 ↩︎
