The Social and Cognitive Experiences of Child Technology Design Partners

1. The Social and Cognitive Experiences of Child Technology Design Partners Mona Leigh Guha May 26, 2011 HCIL Symposium and Open House University of Maryland

2. Cooperative Inquiry (“Kidsteam”)(Druin 1999; 2002) • Video from Edutopia • Method of design partnering with children to create technology for children • High ratio of adults to children • Collaborative work; multiple techniques

3. The Study What are children’s cognitiveand socialexperiences during Cooperative Inquiry?

4. Method • Case Study/Participant Observation • Observational Notes • Photos • Videos • Artifact Analysis • Photos of artifacts • Interviews • Eight children • Seven parent(s) • Analysis Method • Qualitative • Emergent coding using Nvivo • Member checks

5. * Participants * Names of participants have been changed to ensure confidentiality

6. Cognitive Social Relationships Enjoyment Confidence Skills Content Communication Collaboration Framework

7. Examining the Framework:Social - Relationships • With adults • With peers “…the strength of it is about having the kids be able to create and think and share their ideas with academia….people who are you know, experts in their fields – if it’s computers; if it’s psychology; if it’s education if it’s park and plant – whatever their expertise is…” – Carole (Tabitha’s mother) “I like being able to work with my friends” – Shawn “Don’t like not being paired with friends all the time” - Barrett

8. Examining the Framework: Social – Confidence • Technology confidence • Outgoing behavior • Empowerment

9. Humor Engagement Gifts Examining the Framework: Social - Enjoyment “It’s fun to know that you’re designing things that will help other people.” -Barrett “Sometimes it can make me feel frustrated...maybe you will have an idea and your partner doesn’t agree.” - Shawn

10. Examining the Framework: Cognitive - Skills • Reading • Problem solving • Inquiring • Brainstorming • Creativity • Critiquing • Being challenged • Being focused • Application

11. Examining the Framework: Cognitive - Content • Technology • Disciplinary • Subject • Process as content

12. Examining the Framework: Social and Cognitive - Communication • Visual • Textual • Verbal

13. Examining the Framework: Social and Cognitive - Collaboration • Elaboration • Configurations • With adults • Differing ages • Gender

14. So What? • Educators • Curriculum: magnet, charter, and public schools • Extra curricular • Special education • Designers • Choosing design partnering • Researchers • Formal study on experiences of design partners • Provides basis for future studies

15. Thank You! • Adult and child design partners • Questions?

16. Extra Slide One • Textual Communication • Inquiry

17. Framework (Extra Two)

18. Extra three

19. Extra Four

20. Extra Five

21. Extra Six

22. Extra Six Social Cognitive Relationships Enjoyment Confidence Skills Content Communication Collaboration

23. Extra Seven

24. Research Questions • What are children’s experiences in the context of an intergenerational Cooperative Inquiry technology design process? • What are children’s cognitive experiences in the context of an intergenerational Cooperative Inquiry technology design process? • What are children’s social experiences in the context of an intergenerational Cooperative Inquiry technology design process?

25. Related Literature: Technology Design Processes with Children • Many researchers study technology design processes which include children • Many researchers conjecture on effects of design process participation on children • No targeted study has been undertaken to determine these effects

26. Related Literature: Technology Design Processes with Children Although many researchers have studied technology design processes with children, no targeted study has been undertaken to determine the experiences of the children who participate in the design processes

27. Role of the Researcher Former classroom teacher with a background in child development and special education PLUS Participant in and researcher of Cooperative Inquiry technology design process EQUALS Desire to understand the experiences of children involved in technology design processes

28. About the Research • Video of a technology design team session (produced by Edutopia, a project of the George Lucas Educational Foundation collecting stories about what works in education) • What are children’s experiences in the context of an intergenerational Cooperative Inquiry technology design process? • Cognitive • Social

29. Vygotskian Lens of Analysis • Vygotsky’s theory employed to analyze the social and cognitive domains • Cognition as a collaborative process • Studying process in context • Cultural tool use • Zone of proximal development • Speech, signs, and concepts (John-Steiner and Souberman, 1978; Kozulin 1986; Rogoff 1998, Vygotsky, 1978 & 1986)

30. Data Analysis • NVivo • Coding • Continual • Inductive • Emergent • Iterative • Units of analysis • Individual • Dyad • Small group (3 -6 members) • Large group (whole team) • Member checks (LeCompte and Preissle, 1993; Marshall and Rossman, 1999; Stake, 1995)

31. Limitations – Nature of Approach • Generalizability • Descriptive • Participant self-selection • Participant retention • Participant observation • Researcher lens

32. Future Work • Same research questions in different context, such as other methods of technology design with children • Units of analysis and their makeup • Specific constructs • Demographics: gender, ethnicity, etc. • Past design partners • Adults involved in technology design processes