Can I play on the Computer? The Construct of Digital Play from the Perspective of UK Nursery-aged Children in Early Childhood Settings

Authors: Hani Almehrz

Pages: 20-28

Abstract:

The study reported here explores nursery-aged children’s perceptions of ICT-based experiences. A series of ethnographic case studies was conducted in three private nurseries in the UK, using participant observations, drawing and field notes, in addition to discussions with children. The participant children (n = 65) were three and four years old. Using their own words, the data analysis captured children’s perspectives on encounters with the technologies available in the nurseries. The findings demonstrate how the children constructed their experiences with these technological resources as ‘play’ in their social interactions, with some tension between a preference to share their play with a friend or friends and a desire for personal ownership of the experiences. They co-constructed this ‘play’ drawing on preferences for agency, social roles, gender differences and moral thinking together with technological positioning. The article concludes by suggesting pedagogical points for early childhood communities and directions for further research.