 Idea #1: Tools and materials are invitations to play. Tools and materials act as invitations, shaping who feels welcome to engage in STEAM activities. When we consider inclusivity, we ask whether the materials resonate with a broad audience, including girls, boys, and students from diverse cultural backgrounds. A simple test is to lay the materials on a table as an open invitation and observe who engages with them first. Historically, tools like the first personal computers or Legos were designed within a sensibility that appealed primarily to boys. For instance, the keyboard and mouse were conceptualized as metaphors for driving a car—a playful experience that boys often gravitated toward. This history influences how technological tools and materials are perceived and engaged with today.  In contrast, incorporating culturally relevant elements, such as Barbies or characters like Dora the Explorer, can transform these tools into inclusive experiences. By integrating aspects of youth culture familiar to girls, we create a sense of belonging and encourage their participation. Adults experience similar dynamics. For example, a grocery store’s branding and architecture signal whether the space feels welcoming or exclusive, shaping our willingness to enter and engage. These signals—both for adults and children—are a critical consideration when designing tools and environments for inclusivity in STEAM. Idea #2: Certain tools and materials are better for learning. As a learning scientist, I’m interested in the ways in which some tools and materials might be inherently better for learning, especially when they accommodate diverse ways of thinking and creativity. To investigate that, we started looking at gender. Time and time again, in a decade of research, we found that girls are looking for something creative and expressive, such as picking the design color. We are often dismissive of girls’ play, but we looked at the importance of these more “girly” components. We looked at the tools as to whether they would be expressive and offer multiple options for designing using creativity. An example is not creating one bracelet, but lots of different kinds of bracelets. By contrast, traditional “boys’ tools” often emphasize a single, correct solution, such as completing a basic circuit with a battery, wires, and a lightbulb. While such tasks are straightforward and convenient for teachers, they tend to be less engaging for girls, who often seek opportunities to build upon these basics. For example, in coding with Scratch, boys might focus on completing tasks, whereas girls often explore designing avatars and imagining narratives.  Creative tools foster more divergent learning outcomes. Take e-textiles as an example: rather than simply completing a circuit, children use sewing to trace electrical pathways, considering factors like loop continuity and strong connections for functionality. When the light flickers due to a loose connection, they learn about the importance of connectivity—an essential circuitry concept—through hands-on problem-solving. In essence, tools that encourage creativity not only engage children longer but also lead to deeper learning and more innovative outcomes.
When creating e-textiles, children mockup their circuits before sewing them down, experimenting with different configurations and exploring multiple solutions. This process transforms the simple circuit into a creative, hands-on activity that reinforces fundamental scientific principles. Thus, e-textiles not only make circuits more engaging and understandable but also boost children’s confidence in their ability to grasp and apply these concepts. By blending creativity with technical knowledge, these tools create a more inclusive and effective learning environment, particularly for those who might feel excluded from traditional STEM activities.
So, by reimagining tools and materials as inclusive, creative, and educational, we can design STEAM experiences that resonate with diverse learners, fostering both engagement and understanding. Here are some research articles that discuss tools and materials, including e-textile circuitry. Paper Circuits vs. Breadboards: Materializing Learners’ Powerful Ideas Around Circuitry and Layout Design Tools and materials as non-neutral actors in STEAM education Stitching Circuits: Learning About Circuitry Through E-textile Materials
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