Tangible MakeCode, 2023-2025

Jin Yu, Poojita Garg, DoangJoo Synn, HyunJoo Oh

Tangible-MakeCode: Bridging Physical Coding Blocks with a Web-Based Programming Interface for Collaborative and Extensible Learning, CHI 2025 [To Appear]. PDF

Tangible programming engages children through hands-on and collaborative learning but often lacks integration with widely used programming platforms, which limits their extensibility and relevance in existing educational contexts. To address this, we propose Tangible-MakeCode (T-MC), a system that combines physical coding blocks with Microsoft MakeCode. T-MC enables students, including beginners in coding, to design and program interactive wireless communication projects. Students assemble the blocks, capture an image with a webcam, and convert it into code for MakeCode, which they can simulate and upload to their micro:bit boards. We describe the iterative design of T-MC, informed by participatory design workshops with 53 children and feedback from expert interviews with six teachers. A pilot study with 21 children (ages 12-14; M=10, F=11) demonstrates that T-MC is an engaging and inclusive tool that empowers beginners to contribute to team projects by providing an accessible platform for prototyping ideas.