Toys as Tools for Circuit Design

Abstract

This thesis proposes a new pedagogical tool for learning basic electronics through a series of hands-on, object-based circuit lessons called Ozitoys. Titled Toys as Tools for Circuit Design, the project critiques the conventional use of the breadboard in early electrical engineering education—an open-ended and often intimidating tool for beginners attempting to translate circuit schematics into functional physical circuits. Through research and anecdotal evidence from students and educators, this project identifies a pedagogical gap in the intuitive and tactile understanding of circuitry fundamentals.

Ozitoys reimagine the breadboard in the form of didactic toys—each one designed to teach a specific electronic circuit through embodied interaction. These toys range from simple LED-resistor circuits (series and parallel) to more complex logic gates, multivibrators, and binary arithmetic systems. The secondary title, Toys as Diagrams for Circuit Design, reflects how each toy not only teaches through play but also serves as a physical diagram: a transparent, gutted surface where components are placed directly into a guided structure. This removes ambiguity, emphasizes component literacy, and fosters electronic comprehension through direct manipulation.

In a pedagogical climate increasingly dominated by digital simulations, Ozitoys return to somatic, tactile engagement. They emphasize "guttedness" and "transparency"—allowing learners to see, touch, and understand how each circuit works, one component at a time. By limiting the design to discrete components, the toys advocate for a foundational and essentialist understanding of electronics. Ultimately, Ozitoys aim to build electronic literacy not through abstraction, but through playful, physical construction.