Open Source Hardware in PK-12 Education: A Literature Review

Open-source hardware (OSH) is a low-cost innovative alternative to commercial hardware technologies. Within the education system, these technologies are used to better students’ learning without traditional costs. This literature review shows what, where, and how OSH is being used in PK-12 learning. The OSH technologies included in this review are robotics, science lab equipment, 3D printers, and e-textiles. It is concluded that these technologies are shown to further students’ learning by enabling them to build the technologies themselves.