TY - CONF

T1 - Toddlers, Tech and Talk: 0-3-year-old children’s language and literacy learning at home in the UK.

AU - Gillen, Julia

AU - Flewitt, Rosie

AU - El Gemayel, Sandra

AU - Winter, Karen

AU - McLaughlin, Katrina

AU - Arnott, Lorna

AU - Mevawalla, Zinnia

AU - Goodall, Janet

N1 - Conference code: 31

PY - 2023/8

Y1 - 2023/8

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - very young children

KW - digital media

KW - homes

M3 - Conference paper

T2 - European Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference

Y2 - 30 August 2023 through 2 September 2023

ER -