The Constructionism Conference 2025, hosted jointly by ETH Zurich and the Zurich University of Teacher Education, offered a stimulating combination of keynotes, interactive workshops, and community-driven sessions, all focused on exploring what constructionism means today and what it could become in the future. The theme “Building Communities, Connecting Ideas” highlighted the strength of a network of people who share experiences and continue to explore and reinvent the ways we learn by building, making, and programming. This spirit resonates with my own commitment to gathering people and ideas around educational robotics.
Constructionism, first articulated by Seymour Papert, is more than a pedagogical theory: it emphasizes that people learn best when they are actively engaged in constructing meaningful artifacts — whether a robot, a poem, a program, or a plan. It champions learning-by-doing, with tools and technologies acting as powerful supports for personal expression and critical thinking.
Among the many inspiring talks, I especially valued reconnecting with Gary Stager, who reminded us of the enduring relevance of Papert’s vision as a radical and constructive response to contemporary challenges. Leah Buechley, inventor of LilyPad and pioneer in wearable electronics, captivated the audience with her keynote on accessible materials for creative making, showing how even “humble” resources can be used for extraordinary 3D printing experiments. Engin Bumbacher illustrated how a group of teachers developed digital fabrication skills to design real solutions for their classroom practice. Safinah Ali, researcher at MIT, shared how artificial intelligence can support learning in artistic domains. And Ken Khan fascinated participants with practical examples of how even beginners can use chatbots to design applications.
These contributions, together with many others, reaffirmed that building remains the most powerful way to learn — and that communities are essential for imagining the future of education together.
