Abstract
This article outlines an ecological framework for describing children’s social experiences during digital play. It presents evidence from a study that explored how 3- to 5-year-old children negotiated their social experiences as they used technologies in preschool. Utilising a systematic and iterative cycle of data collection and analysis, children’s interactions with 24 technological resources were examined over a nine-month period and across three phases. Findings reveal that children played in clusters, exhibiting a multitude of social behaviours and interactions and varied degrees of social participation, and assumed various social status roles and technological positions. These behaviours formed part of a Digital Play System, which in turn was influenced by the Preschool System, which comprises children and practitioners as active agents, technological affordances, and the cultural systems, routines and practices of the early childhood setting. Ultimately, children’s social experiences during digital play cannot be determined by any single element of the ecological system.
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 271-288 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| Journal | Early Years |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Early online date | 25 May 2016 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2 Jul 2016 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- children as agents
- digital play
- ecology
- play
- social experience
- technology
Cite this
}
An ecological exploration of young children’s digital play : framing children’s social experiences with technologies in early childhood. / Arnott, Lorna.
In: Early Years, Vol. 36, No. 3, 02.07.2016, p. 271-288.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - An ecological exploration of young children’s digital play
T2 - Early Years
AU - Arnott, Lorna
PY - 2016/7/2
Y1 - 2016/7/2
N2 - This article outlines an ecological framework for describing children’s social experiences during digital play. It presents evidence from a study that explored how 3- to 5-year-old children negotiated their social experiences as they used technologies in preschool. Utilising a systematic and iterative cycle of data collection and analysis, children’s interactions with 24 technological resources were examined over a nine-month period and across three phases. Findings reveal that children played in clusters, exhibiting a multitude of social behaviours and interactions and varied degrees of social participation, and assumed various social status roles and technological positions. These behaviours formed part of a Digital Play System, which in turn was influenced by the Preschool System, which comprises children and practitioners as active agents, technological affordances, and the cultural systems, routines and practices of the early childhood setting. Ultimately, children’s social experiences during digital play cannot be determined by any single element of the ecological system.
AB - This article outlines an ecological framework for describing children’s social experiences during digital play. It presents evidence from a study that explored how 3- to 5-year-old children negotiated their social experiences as they used technologies in preschool. Utilising a systematic and iterative cycle of data collection and analysis, children’s interactions with 24 technological resources were examined over a nine-month period and across three phases. Findings reveal that children played in clusters, exhibiting a multitude of social behaviours and interactions and varied degrees of social participation, and assumed various social status roles and technological positions. These behaviours formed part of a Digital Play System, which in turn was influenced by the Preschool System, which comprises children and practitioners as active agents, technological affordances, and the cultural systems, routines and practices of the early childhood setting. Ultimately, children’s social experiences during digital play cannot be determined by any single element of the ecological system.
KW - children as agents
KW - digital play
KW - ecology
KW - play
KW - social experience
KW - technology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84969869923&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09575146.2016.1181049
DO - 10.1080/09575146.2016.1181049
M3 - Article
VL - 36
SP - 271
EP - 288
JO - Early Years
JF - Early Years
SN - 0957-5146
IS - 3
ER -