Fun in Making: Understanding the experience of fun and learning through curriculum-based Making in the elementary school classroom

In this article, we investigate the child's experience of fun and learning within curriculum-integrated Maker activities in the elementary school classroom. Little is currently understood as to how Making makes learning fun, particularly in formal educational contexts. We conducted an in-the-wild week-long study that implements Maker activities designed with 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade teachers during science classes. Qualitative video-based analysis of the sessions for six students and analysis of all the students' self-reports were performed to derive an understanding of the determinants of fun and learning in the children's experiences. We highlight issues that may inform future directions in the investigation of Making as entertainment technologies in education.