ECEC educators’ Attitudes and Perceptions Toward and Supportive Role in children’s Digital Gameplay: The Emotion Detectives Game as an example
Lipponen, Sari; Eklund, Kenneth; Laakso, Marja-Leena; Koivula, Merja; Huttunen, Kerttu (2024-06-04)
Taylor & Francis
04.06.2024
Lipponen, S., Eklund, K., Laakso, M. L., Koivula, M., & Huttunen, K. (2024). ECEC educators’ attitudes and perceptions toward and supportive role in children’s digital gameplay: The Emotion Detectives game as an example. Early Education and Development, 36(1), 145–164. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2024.2360881
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
© 2024 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
© 2024 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-202406174619
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-202406174619
Tiivistelmä
Abstract
Today, digital games are considered important tools for learning, but using them in early childhood education and care (ECEC) has raised the question of educators’ roles when children play an educational digital game. The aim of this study was to explore how ECEC educators differed in their attitudes and perceptions toward and ways of supporting children’s digital gameplay and how these differences were associated with children’s gameplay. The data were collected by interviewing seven ECEC educators in four ECEC groups in which 30 children aged 5–6 years played an educational Emotion Detectives game. The log data were also analyzed. Research Findings: Based on the differences in support discovered, the educators were found to represent two groups: a non-supportive group (NSG) and a supportive group (SG). Compared to the NSG, the children in the SG played more and were more successful in their gameplay. Practice or Policy: The findings of this study emphasize the importance of organizing regular gameplay sessions when children’s development is supported using educational games and of monitoring that all children have opportunities to get enough practice by playing. In addition, educators need to familiarize themselves with the game to be able to discuss it with children, motivate them to play, and help on demand.
Today, digital games are considered important tools for learning, but using them in early childhood education and care (ECEC) has raised the question of educators’ roles when children play an educational digital game. The aim of this study was to explore how ECEC educators differed in their attitudes and perceptions toward and ways of supporting children’s digital gameplay and how these differences were associated with children’s gameplay. The data were collected by interviewing seven ECEC educators in four ECEC groups in which 30 children aged 5–6 years played an educational Emotion Detectives game. The log data were also analyzed. Research Findings: Based on the differences in support discovered, the educators were found to represent two groups: a non-supportive group (NSG) and a supportive group (SG). Compared to the NSG, the children in the SG played more and were more successful in their gameplay. Practice or Policy: The findings of this study emphasize the importance of organizing regular gameplay sessions when children’s development is supported using educational games and of monitoring that all children have opportunities to get enough practice by playing. In addition, educators need to familiarize themselves with the game to be able to discuss it with children, motivate them to play, and help on demand.
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