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Toddlers, Tech and Talk: 0-3-year-old children’s language and literacy learning at home in the UK.

Research output: Contribution to conference - Without ISBN/ISSN Conference paperpeer-review

Published
  • Julia Gillen
  • Rosie Flewitt
  • Sandra El Gemayel
  • Karen Winter
  • Katrina McLaughlin
  • Lorna Arnott
  • Zinnia Mevawalla
  • Janet Goodall
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Publication date08/2023
<mark>Original language</mark>English
EventEuropean Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference: Children’s Curiosity, Agency and Participation: Challenges for Professional Action and Development - Estoril Congress Centre, Cascais, Portugal
Duration: 30/08/20232/09/2023
Conference number: 31
https://2023.eeceraconference.org/

Conference

ConferenceEuropean Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference
Abbreviated titleEECERA
Country/TerritoryPortugal
CityCascais
Period30/08/232/09/23
Internet address

Abstract

Toddlers, Tech and Talk (2022-2024) aims to investigate behaviours and attitudes towards digital media at home across diverse communities in the UK. Here, we focus on parental reports of their 0-3 year-old children's participation in digital practices at home; curiosity and agentic use of diverse devices. First, we relate to previous and ongoing studies of young children’s interactions with digital media in the home learning environment, e.g. Chaudron et al (2018), Kumpulainen et al (2022), DigiLitEY COST Action, and ARC Centre for the Digital Child, identifying a need for research in this dynamic area. Second, we draw on a rich vein of investigations of the significance of agency, participation and curiosity to children’s play, learning and holistic wellbeing. Concepts such as the post-digital and sociomaterialism enable us to work towards novel understandings of the very young child’s participation in a “togetherness in an entangled moment” Kuby & Rucker, 2016: 17). Our mixed method research is constructed in three phases: 1) Survey of 1000+ parents and guardians 2) Interviewing 40 parents and 20 ECEC-related professionals 3) 40 Case studies with a "methods palette” Our detailed ethical framework is constantly interrogated amongst the interdisciplinary team members to ensure that research is as respectful as possible of all participants, whatever their community or language (BERA 2018). We summarise findings relating to parental reports of children’s participation, curiosity and agency in digital practices at home, paying close attention to entanglements in the moment. Findings will inform ECEC policy and practice on very young children's digital security and technology use.