Classroom Inspiration: CS-Powered Cardboard Creations

Kim Wilkens, Ed.D. Education and Outreach Director in UVA’s School of Education and Human Development, and Mariana Arboleda, Colombian researcher, recently shared their workshop at SIPECO at the Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia. We loved their approach to accessibility so much that we asked for more details!

CS-Powered Cardboard Creations at SIPECO 2025

How can we make computer science (CS) accessible to every student? Sometimes, the answer isn’t in the latest high-tech gadget — it’s in your recycling bin.

At SIPECO 2025 (the Ibero-American Seminar on Computational Thinking), we explored this very idea through an interactive workshop titled “CS-Powered Cardboard Creations.” Together with educators, researchers, and students from across Latin America, we reimagined how to bring computational thinking to life using simple materials, creativity, and collaboration.

Moving Beyond the Screen

Too often, CS education is associated with screens and expensive devices. This workshop challenged that assumption by combining low-cost, tactile tools like cardboard and MakeDo construction sets with Roversa Robotics, a multilingual, educator-friendly robotics platform designed to make CS education inclusive, hands-on, and joyful.

This collaboration between Roversa and Makedo made perfect sense — both are rooted in playful construction, accessibility, and creative problem-solving. Roversa brings coding and robotics to life through an adaptable, open-ended platform that grows with learners. MakeDo, on the other hand, turns recycled cardboard into a construction material that invites experimentation, imagination, and iteration. Together, they offer a powerful way to explore the intersection of engineering, design, and computational thinking, all while keeping materials affordable and sustainable.

The workshop was also part of a broader initiative supported by the Global Center for Equitable Computer Science Education, which aims to advance research and practice that make CS education more inclusive around the world. The Center’s involvement underscores how creative, low-cost, and multilingual approaches — like Roversa and Makedo — can help remove barriers to participation and empower diverse learners to see themselves as creators of technology.

Participants discovered that cardboard can be transformed into interactive robots, ramps, and artistic creations that demonstrate core CS concepts like algorithms, sequencing, and conditionals in playful, meaningful ways.

Modeling Pedagogical Practice: Computational Thinking in Action

The workshop was intentionally designed to model how educators can infuse CS concepts into hands-on, project-based activities. Rather than simply teaching about coding or robotics, participants experienced how computational thinking can emerge naturally from building, testing, and refining their creations.

Key learning elements included:

• Algorithmic thinking: Writing and following step-by-step build plans.

• Conditionals: Exploring “if/then” logic through ramp design and robot behavior.

• Pattern recognition: Creating repeating designs and decorative elements.

• Decomposition & abstraction: Defining “cardboard functions” — reusable design elements with specific purposes.

• Debugging: Iterating on builds when things didn’t go as planned.

By the end, cardboard creations rolled, turned, and danced their way through a “Robot Parade” (Comparsa de Robots) — a joyful demonstration of how accessible, inclusive CS can be.

What We Experienced in the Room

Beyond these core elements, what stood out to us was how participants took ownership of their own iterative processes:

• Redefining “a step”
  When working with the Roversa robot, participants had to figure out for themselves what a single “step” meant. On paper, one step is roughly six inches, but since they weren’t working on a grid, they discovered this only by testing, observing, and refining their instructions. Watching them debug their movement code to successfully complete the road made the learning process visible—and exciting.
  
  

• Designs that meet reality
  Many teams had to adjust their original cardboard constructions once they realized that ramps, walls, or decorative pieces interfered with the robot’s path or controls. This prompted authentic design refinements: making small changes, testing again, and learning that “beautiful” and “functional” sometimes need to meet in the middle.
  
  

These moments captured the true spirit of computational thinking—messy, creative, and rooted in discovery. 

Collaboration and Reflection

Participants shared that they especially enjoyed the collaborative aspect of designing and testing their floats — working together to solve design challenges, debug robot movements, and celebrate small wins along the way. The shared joy of making created a sense of community and collective learning that mirrors what we hope to see in classrooms.

These reflections reinforced the importance of designing learning experiences that encourage teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving — the same skills at the heart of both CS and lifelong learning.

Why It Matters

This workshop embodied the spirit of “CS for All” — blending equity, creativity, and sustainability. By using low-cost materials and open-ended design, every educator left with new ways to empower students as makers and problem solvers, regardless of resources or experience.

It was inspiring to see how educators, researchers, and students from across Latin America brought their own perspectives to the challenge — reinforcing that CS is not just about coding, but about thinking, creating, and connecting.

Join the Movement

Our time at Universidad del Norte and SIPECO 2025 reaffirmed the power of collaboration in building a more equitable future for CSeducation. Join the Global Center for Equitable Computer Science Education in expanding this work — connecting classrooms, sharing resources, and designing experiences that make CS accessible, creative, and inclusive for all. 

Guest Authors:

Kim Wilkens, Ed.D. serves as Education and Outreach Director in UVA’s School of Education and Human Development, where she leads initiatives that bridge research, practice, and innovation in K–12 computer science education. She is also the co-founder and CEO of Roversa Robotics, with a mission to make STEM and CS easy to teach and exciting to learn with a robotics platform built for every classroom.

Mariana Arboleda is a Colombian researcher exploring how teachers bring data science and computational thinking to life in their classrooms. She is part of the Global Center for Equitable Computer Science Education with a mission to understand how to make CS education equitable and accessible for everyone from early childhood to adulthood.