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About

Sofia Papavlasopoulou is an educational technology researcher whose work sits at the intersection of computational thinking, maker education, and child-centered learning. She is best known for her highly influential 2016 literature review on the Maker Movement, which has garnered over 313 citations and established a foundational empirical framework for understanding how making, tinkering, and hands-on creation can transform learning environments. Her research consistently examines how children and teenagers engage with coding tools — including Scratch, Arduino, and robotics platforms — to develop both technical and creative competencies. Papavlasopoulou has made significant contributions to evidence-based practices in programming education, investigating how factors such as collaboration and student engagement shape children's attitudes toward coding. Her 2019 study on coding games and robots, cited 65 times, demonstrated how social dynamics and motivation play a critical role in computational skill development. Across her body of work, she has championed the importance of rigorous empirical research to guide educators introducing coding to young learners. Her scholarship is particularly valuable to researchers and practitioners seeking to design inclusive, engaging, and pedagogically sound STEM experiences for children and adolescents.