Developing New Technologies
For Young Children

Contents

The work discussed in this book was carried out within the European Commission Intelligent Information Interfaces (i3) Experimental School Environments (ESE) initiative which sought new proposals for research into IT-based tools or environments for 4 to 8 year olds. It was intended that successful proposals should:

".investigate 'new paradigms" for learning based on the development of novel IT-based tools or environments. The new paradigms investigated should make learning an enjoyable, stimulating and engaging activity, both on a personal and group level, promoting the development of key skills such as creativity, self-expression and learning to learn". (European Commission, 1997, p1)

The potential for learning was considered especially high as children at this age were thought to be 'especially curious and open to new ideas experiences' and to have 'few pre-conceptions of the world'. Ten collaborative research and development projects were subsequently funded to develop the new educational tools, along with two supporting 'working groups'. In total, a budget of more than 11 million euros was provided by the European Commission.

Inevitably only a fraction of the achievements of this programme may be presented in this one book. The book begins with an introductory overview that has been strongly informed by my involvement in the programme through my membership of the CHAT working group. A variety of issues are then presented in chapters written by members of the project teams. Aspects of communication and collaboration, creativity and problem solving, metacognition, and of provisions for special educational needs are explored. The book closes with a chapter by Lieslotte Van Lewen who elaborates upon an important strand that features throughout the text, a strand that has already been noted as one that featured strongly in all of the work conducted in the ESE programme; the involvement of young children themselves as co-designers.

A distinctive characteristic of the research and developments reported here is their multi-disciplinary nature. The book thus provides a valuable and unique resource for all involved in researching the use of existing early childhood technology, as well as those embarking upon the development of new products.

The Experimental School Environments Projects

Caress created new technological and educational tools that motivated and empowered children to develop creativity, imagination and expression in interactive acoustic environments.

Construction kits made of Atoms and Bits (CAB) adapted technologies developed for older children to enable children under eight to design and construct their own cybernetic objects.

Children in Chros and Chronos (C3) was concerned with developing children's spacio-temporal reasoning through technologically enhanced and facilitated play that utilised the GPS global satellite positioning system.

éTUI developed multi-sensory programmable robotic toys that encourage children to learn about learning.

KidStory supporting collaborative story telling using virtual, zoomable interfaces and reactive spaces.

The Networked Interactive Media in Schools (NIMIS) project applied a range of novel ICT applications, networked computers, intuitive user interfaces and large interactive displays to develop technologically integrated and co-operative 'classrooms of the future'.

In the Playground project, children were empowered to design and programme their own rules into microworld games.

In Pogo, intuitive tools and toys were developed that would allow the children's favorite characters to move from the 'real world' into a virtual on-screen story environment.

The Puppet project explored new forms of early learning where the children were presented with opportunities to invent and direct stories in an innovative virtual puppet theatre.

Today's Stories sought to provide children with wearable 'KidsCam' technology that enabled them to create audio-visual diaries that simultaneously encouraged them to reflect upon their own actions, and learn from other children's perspectives in their 'reflective experiments in living'.

The Working Groups

The Children's Awareness of Technology (CHAT) group brought together researchers from early childhood education and developmental psychology to collaboratively develop improved understandings of children's learning associated with the wide range of information and communications technologies (ICTs) applied within the programme.

KidsLab provided a working group that supported the projects practical and informed advice on their work with young children. A central aim of the KidsLab group has involved the ongoing development and study of approaches to child-centered design of learning environments.

Developing New Technologies for Young Children

Contents

Chapter One
Don't be Surprised by the Future: The development of appropriate new learning technologies for young children John Siraj-Blatchford

Chapter Two
A Classroom of the Future Today Bridget Cooper and Paul Brna

Chapter Three
éTui: Scaffolding children's reflection with behaviour based robots David Griffiths and Josep Blat

Chapter Four
Making rules in collaborative game design Celia Hoyles and Richard Noss

Chapter Five
The KidStory Project: Developing Collaborative Storytelling Tools for Children with Children Danaë Stanton, Claire O'Malley, Victor Bayon, Juan-Pablo Hourcade, Yngve Sundblad, Carina Fast, Sue Cobb, Gustav Taxén, and Steve Benford

Chapter Six
Children's playful learning with a robotic construction kit Augusto Chioccariello, Stefania Manca, and Luigi Sarti

Chapter Seven
Caress - 'an endearing touch' Phil Ellis

Chapter Eight
How children contribute to the design of technology for them Lieselotte van Leeuwen

Final Words