While the roles of parents in a child's education are well-studied, new research is taking a look at the role a sibling plays in collaborating on educational projects, and they found a few key roles often developed in this working relationship.
Recently published research by researchers at Binghamton University and Indiana University recorded nearly 13 hours of video of six pairs of siblings, ages 2-8, working on at-home engineering projects. These projects included building a rain gauge, a paper roller coaster, and an animal house to protect animals from the elements. They found that over the course of these projects, clear roles of the older sibling developed.
The most common was a colleague/peer arrangement, in which both siblings worked side by side on the task. Older siblings in this role often positioned their younger sibling as a partner or collaborator.
Second, there were many times when the older sibling acted as a "lead engineer" on the project -- clearly the one in charge. Some of the examples recorded on video varied: one showed the younger sibling being ignored, while in another, the younger sibling simply waited for instructions from the older sibling before carrying out a task.
Third and most uniquely, other examples showed the older sibling taking on the form of a provocateur , intentionally teasing or provoking emotions from the younger sibling during a task. In one example of this, provocation did not hinder the project; instead, it led the younger sibling to defend their opinions to the older sibling. Other times, the younger sibling stayed engaged even in the wake of provocation, and also helped build toward solving a problem.
The roles siblings took on largely depended on the existing relationship they had, and the working relationships they developed varied greatly. Still, researchers found that older siblings can be natural and effective teachers in education. Sibling relationships can be a safe space for children to develop engineering-related skills in a way they can't with their friends or teachers. The researchers suggest that more educational engineering programs should be developed that tap into the sibling relationship at home and in after-school programs.
If you would like to interview the lead researcher on this study, Binghamton University Associate Professor Amber Simpson, please send an email to David Hermanovitch at dhermanovitc@binghamton.edu.
Journal of Engineering Education
Observational study
People
Beyond parents and educators: Older siblings as influential figures in nonformal engineering contexts
30-Aug-2026