Keywords

1 Introduction

The involvement of young children with digital technologies is contentious with suggestions of digital tools having a broad range of negative outcomes for young children (Howie et al., 2017; Vedechkina & Borgonovi, 2021).

Contrary to this conception is a shift from narrow perspectives towards young children’s engagement with technology, to an exciting and broader definition of digital technologies as part of a young child’s complex ecological learning system (Arnott, 2016). Other research has also shown that digital tools and technologies can support imaginative play by acting as digital coadjuvants in ways that enhance existing pedagogical preschool practices (Fleer, 2020).

These contemporary views give rise to transcending beyond the binary of digital and non-digital (Fleer, 2019a; Rai et al., 2022) to accepting the prominence of digital technology in young children’s lives with careful consideration of the conditions ‘by and with’ young children interact with such technologies (Mantilla & Edwards, 2019). This chapter further demonstrates how multiple digital tools used as methodological choices, initially spurred by the Covid19 pandemic created a new and innovative way for the continuation of research during times of crisis. Adopting an educational experiment: Fleer’s Conceptual PlayWorld model and a diorama, this cultural historical study was designed to intentionally teach young children the scientific concept of light, whilst offering opportunities for the children to model their theoretical understandings. Fleer’s Conceptual PlayWorld (2019b) is a model designed to intentionally teach young children science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through imaginary play.

The original study design involved the use of several digital cameras, placed statically on tripods and dynamically hand held by the researchers to follow the participants. Following growing concern over Covid19 infections government interventions immobilised researchers from being on site in early childhood education and care institutions. This critical situation and subsequent crisis provided the impetus for the Conceptual PlayWorld digital diorama.

As Dafermos (2022) argues historic times ladened with critical episodes and crises promote the need for transformative practices, creating new conceptualisations supporting human development. Discussing crisis in relation to children’s development Vygotsky (1998) theorised critical periods as dialectical processes of revolutionary, transitional paths. In consideration of these authors writings on crisis it is possible to form understandings of the way in which crises underpin the emergence of new methods. As a result, the new methods develop in response and if effective these responses may replace or be in addition to previous systems.

Whilst the Conceptual PlayWorld digital diorama was created in response to the crisis associated with the Covid19 pandemic for the continuation of research, the use of digital tools and digital methodologies was recognised as effective in times of ‘lockdowns’ and at other times. This is because multiple digital technologies and tools afford a flexible approach enabling researchers and the participants to readily come to together virtually. For example, at each stage of this study the participants and researchers were able meet despite being restricted in different locations, and the various digital tools recorded multiple perspectives which could be re-visited and analysed. In particular the Zoom platform was a prominent digital technology used at the time for the researchers, educators and teachers to plan the educational experiment intervention.

This was followed by daily Zoom sessions in the classroom using an iPad placed inside a diorama to initiate the sessions in an engaging way for the children and educators participating. The researchers were able to Zoom into the sessions with the participants and take on dual roles; that of researcher and of an imaginary character in the Conceptual PlayWorld. Post intervention interviews were then carried out via Zoom and recorded, giving the educators involved an opportunity to reflect on and express their experiences of the digital intervention (Figs. 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3).

Fig. 5.1
A photo of a teacher and 3 children in front of a table with diorama. A researcher interacts with the teacher and 3 children from the iPad placed inside the diorama.

Researcher greets the children and educators to begin the session inside the diorama in character as a wise octopus

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Fig. 5.2
A photo of children in front of a table with diorama. A researcher watches the children from the iPad placed inside the diorama.

Children draw pictures about visibility (the absence and presence of light)

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Fig. 5.3
Left. A photo of 2 children seated around a table and drawing. Right. A photo of the researcher with diorama of fish in the water, in the background.

The end of a day’s session, children draw as researcher interacts

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2 Background to the Creation of the Diorama

Following a series of recorded Zoom meetings between the teacher, educators and the researchers the Conceptual PlayWorld digital diorama was developed. In accordance with the Conceptual PlayWorld model, the planning followed five steps (Fleer, 2019b). Adaptations to the story of the Rainbow Fish (Pfister & James, 2007) were introduced along with the science concept of light. The lead researcher, using recycled materials made the diorama and artefacts which were given to the centre for the children to unwrap via a contactless delivery, appropriate to the Covid19 restrictions in place at the time. Digital cameras, iPads, tripods and other filming equipment were also delivered by the lead researcher to the centre.

The teacher filmed the children opening the diorama, this initial introduction to the study was also recorded as part of the data collection. In addition, the lead researcher had recorded short videos on the iPad that was delivered to the centre as provocation for each aspect of light that was being introduced to the children in the Conceptual PlayWorld. This provided a backup to the Zoom sessions if connectivity was interrupted during the sessions and could also be played to the children at other times to inspire imaginary play in the Conceptual PlayWorld.

The diorama was designed and intended to offer the children multiple affordances in service of their Conceptual PlayWorld, exploring the science concept of light. Firstly, as a provocation for the children’s imagination and storytelling whilst exploring various aspects of light and secondly, as an appealing space for the iPad to be placed with the researchers Zooming through at the beginning of each session. The Zoom feature of a virtual background also made it possible for the researchers to appear as if inside the diorama, through a series of photographs taken of various settings within the diorama before it was delivered. Dioramas offer a plethora of opportunities for children to invent and re-tell stories (Cools et al., 2017) as well as to create their own characters and artefacts. The children involved were encouraged at the end of each session through an iterative process of design, discuss, draw and model to create artefacts related to the aspect of light that had been introduced in the Conceptual PlayWorld that day (Table 5.1).

Table 5.1 The use and affordances of digital tools and technologies
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3 Discussion

This chapter has highlighted the use and multiple affordances of an array of digital technologies and tools during an educational experiment in times of a crisis and how such a crisis illuminated the many benefits of the digital methodology. Hedegaard and Fleer (2008), explained specific to an educational experiment must be a planned intervention that addresses theory and ultimately aims to increase the participating children’s learning and development. Furthermore, a cooperation between the educators and researchers must be established and maintained throughout the educational experiment in support of a shared theoretical foundation and intended direction for the children involved (Hedegaard & Fleer, 2008).

As shown in the example preliminary and continual dialogue and planning was undergone using digital technologies and platforms throughout all stages of the aforementioned educational experiment. All stages were recorded enabling conversations to be revisited for further clarity and later analysed, therefore it could be argued that the digital recordings for example, from Zoom sessions increased the understanding and interactions between the educators and researchers because the dialogic exchanges extended beyond being virtually present.

An important aspect of the study was that the use of multiple cameras, both static and hand held along with the Zoom recorded sessions revealed multiple perspectives and highlighted the children’s social situation of development. The social situation of development as theorised by Vygotsky (1998) describes a vigorous period between the child and their social reality and the path where the social becomes the individual, encompassing a holistic view of the child throughout different age periods. Additionally, the social situation of development represents complex qualitative changes occurring in children’s lives and, these complexities as a whole comprised of units preserve the emotional experiences and the systems of connections within this whole (Bozhovich, 2009; Ma, 2020).

During the study the participating children’s unique social situation of development could be seen through their involvement interactionally, dramatically and via their drawing and modelling activities within the Conceptual PlayWorld digital diorama. The children were for example, accustomed to digital communication, whilst it is not possible to know exactly whether this had been amplified by the Covid19 restrictions disabling many social gatherings, it was clear that for the 4-year-old participants speaking and seeing someone through an iPad was not novel. In fact, one child asked the researcher “Are you actually Facetiming?’

On another day during the educational experiment the lead researcher was placed via Zoom on the iPad inside a cave that had been made with dark material and a table for the children to explore the absence of light. Throughout the whole session in the cave the children played imaginatively and explored aspects of light with the researcher virtually present. What this example shows is that the involvement of the technology did not distract the children from the intentions of the educational experiment, rather the digital technologies enhanced the affordances. The researcher’s virtual presence was easily facilitated because of the limited space available in the cave, which in person may not have been possible. Therefore, the nuanced use of digital tools made it possible for the researcher to be comfortably inside the cave with the children for the whole duration, interacting with and observing the participating children in their activity setting.

In considering the child’s social situation of development attention must be drawn to the child’s perspective within their everyday institutional and activity settings, this requires understanding the child’s own motives and the various demands placed on the child within their settings (Hedegaard, 2020). Through the multiple cameras that filmed the daily Zoom sessions it was possible to capture the unique aspects of the child’s social situation of development, connected to the motives, the demands of the educational institution, and, the perspectives of the children and educators. This for example was seen during a story book reading session where the demand placed on the children was to sit and listen however, the children’s motivation was to play. In this video recorded example the different perspectives, motives and demands can be seen of both of the children and educators. What this example further demonstrated was how conflict between motives and demands arises in the institutional setting and the importance of honouring the child’s perspective in their activity setting by re-evaluating the educational and institutional intentions. In capturing these authentic moments of tension through the digital methodology and tools it is possible to deeply analyse the perspectives at the time.

4 Conclusion

Propelled by the conditions of a crisis new methodologies were needed to continue research. This chapter has demonstrated a shift in perspectives, to thinking about digital technologies and young children beyond the divisive binary of digital and non-digital (Fleer, 2019a; Rai et al., 2022). This change in perspective and the use of digital tools and technologies has been presented through a new and innovative way in which technologies were used with an educational experiment: Fleer’s Conceptual PlayWorld and a digital diorama. Rather than engagement of digital technologies and young children portrayed as passive and as ‘digital babysitters’ (Lindeman et al., 2021) this chapter highlights the agentic (Fleer, 2019a) and interactive affordances of a digital methodology. This was illustrated throughout all stages of the study with all the participants as they actively engaged with the researchers using digital tools via the Zoom platform.

Furthermore, whilst the Covid19 crisis provided the impetus for the methodology what was discovered through the methodological affordances of this digital approach is the many benefits of the virtual technologies, in particular Zoom. Using this platform highlighted the flexibility of coming together readily and it is anticipated that this approach will continue to be a methodological choice in future studies. This is because future study designs can include hybrid versions using digital dioramas whereby the children and educators can Zoom in at their own flexibility to share aspects of their Conceptual PlayWorlds with the researchers. The physical size of an iPad also means that the researcher can be placed in spaces with the children that may otherwise not be possible, particularly during imaginative play under tables transformed into dark caves. Therefore, the changes brought about by the crisis have paved the way for new research methods capturing multiple perspectives and in support of studying children’s scientific concept formation and theoretical modelling.