Recent studies and neuroscience point to the benefits of learning-by-making (constructionism), but teachers often struggle with incorporating this experiential learning method in their classes. Emphasising community formation, participation, and application, the ‘Follow/Tinker/Make/Share’ (FTMS) framework is designed to overcome this challenge, creating meaningful learning in a wide variety of disciplinary and institutional contexts at levels ranging from primary to tertiary — and even beyond to professional development experiences.

This session will introduce this simple framework for incorporating constructionist learning, accompanied by the theory and research behind its design. The framework’s flexible methodology guides users through a series of structured stages, moving from standardised direct instruction through increasingly customised guided practice and then to independent practice, scaffolding a self-supporting ‘community of practice’ that provides scalable, dynamic, ongoing support for learners and a structure by which teachers move systematically from directing learning toward service as resources and guides for learner-led practice.

Beginning with specific instructions in the Follow stage to generate a ‘platform’ project, learners are introduced to basic concepts, tools, and skills. The purpose of this ‘platform’ is to give them a shared experience and a ‘safe undo’ state to which they can return should later experimentation fail. In the Tinker stage, learners experiment with, alter, and transform parts of their ‘platform’ project, adapting existing features to understand how various mechanisms, structures, and characteristics work while also beginning to adapt projects to conform to their own needs, interests, and contexts. During this stage, learners share their work and ask questions of others, providing opportunities for community building and collaboration as teachers step from being central directors to supporting collaboration and conversation. Since all projects share the same ‘platform,’ learners can adopt solutions from fellow learners or adapt them to fit their own needs and interests. In the Make stage, learners design and develop a personalised or localised project that incorporates, applies, or extends the skills and knowledge they’ve developed in the earlier phases. Finally, at the Share stage, learners present the projects they’ve developed to the learning community for feedback, comparing projects, competitively evaluating their projects in relation to others, or combining their projects with others either to addresses a larger challenge or to address a challenge more robustly. By providing these diverse experiences and supports, the FTMS Framework durably and sustainably prepares learners to translate skills and knowledge into practice while guiding and supporting teachers as they move toward an increasingly learner-led practice. Because it begins with direct instruction and because teachers can build ‘stubs’ for specific curricular requirements into the initial ‘platform’ project, the FTMS Framework is easy to integrate into existing curricula and course designs.

The FTMS Framework gives learners practical, applied experience through the development of project-based, challenge-based, or service learning, equipping them with disciplinary knowledge as well as the ‘non-cognitive’ skills of collaboration, communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, creative thinking, and iteration.

Keywords: Constructionism, Project-based-learning, Service learning, learning frameworks, applied learning, learner-led learning, non-cognitive skills, collaborative learning, service learning, learning-by-making.