This document describes research being conducted to examine the effect of digital technologies on the engagement and complexity of thinking of 5-6 year old children in a Reggio Emilia-inspired educational setting. The researcher hypothesizes that iPads, when used as an expressive tool in a supportive environment with carefully chosen apps, can enhance engagement and thinking complexity compared to more passive use. The study involves providing iPad access to an experimental group of children while collecting data on engagement and thinking levels before and after the intervention, compared to a control group. The intervention focuses on replacing passive apps with more open-ended options and supporting sharing of discoveries between children.

1. What
is
the
effect
of
digital
technologies
on
engagement
and
complexity
of
thinking
of
the
explora4ons
of
5-­‐6
year
old
children
in
a
Reggio
inspired
se:ng?
Ac#on
Research
by
Clair
Weston
December
2013

2. Hypotheses
In
using
the
iPad
as
an
expressive
language
we
move
beyond
the
common
use
of
iPads.
In
a
suppor#ve
learning
environment
with
carefully
chosen
Apps
,
iPads
can
add
to
the
level
of
engagement
and
the
complexity
of
thinking
of
a
child’s
explora#ons
when
the
other
languages
of
expression
are
not
forgoIen.

3. Research
Ques#on
!
What
is
the
effect
of
digital
technologies
on
engagement
and
complexity
of
thinking
of
the
explora4ons
of
5-­‐6
year
old
children
in
a
Reggio
inspired
se:ng?

4. My
Concern
Children
can
be
passive
users
Looking
at
a
screen
Consuming
Low
level
of
engagement
Ac#vity
level
is
simple
Repe##ve
Absence
of
cogni#ve
demand
Lower
order
thinking
skills
are
u#lized

5. This
is
the
one
I
like
the
best
on
the
iPad.
I
didn’t
know
how
to
do
it
before
and
then
Amon
showed
me
how
to
do
it.
I
like
making
all
of
the
sounds.
It
reminded
me
about
when
we
did
buIerfly
dancing
outside.That
makes
me
feel
happy
because
I
like
to
hear
the
sounds.
!
Intension
Children
displaying
sustained
intense
engagement
Crea#vity
Energy
Persistence
Higher
order
thinking
skills
would
be
displayed
Several
languages
of
expression
would
be
intertwined

6. Variables
Dependent:
level
of
engagement
and
complexity
of
thinking
Independent:
opportuni#es
to
open
up
possibili#es
for
iPad
explora#on
as
an
expressive
language
Extraneous:
sensi#ve
and
#mely
teacher
interven#on,
the
learning
environment
and
conversa#ons
between
the
children
themselves

7. Review
of
the
Literature
!
!
“We
have
to
give
closer
aIen#on
to
the
process
of
learning
through
the
digital
media.
The
digital
experience
is
much
too
oTen
exhausted
simply
in
its
func#on
and
technical
form.
In
addi#on
to
this
technical
aspect,
if
it
is
also
used
in
crea#ve
and
imagina#ve
ways,
it
reveals
a
high
level
of
expressive,
cogni#ve
and
social
poten#al
as
well
as
great
possibili#es
for
evolu#on.
It
is
necessary
to
reflect
on
and
beIer
comprehend
the
changes
that
the
digital
language
introduces
in
the
processes
of
understanding.
We
have
to
be
aware
of
what
this
adds,
takes
away,
or
modifies
in
today’s
learning.”
!
!
(Vea
Vecchi
in
Gandini
et
al,
2005,
p.
x)

8. Review
of
the
Literature
!
!
There
appears
to
be
agreement
that
the
emergence
of
mobile
touch
devices,
such
as
the
iPhone,
iPod
touch
and
iPad,
provide
rich
opportuni#es
for
young
learners.
Teachers
in
the
early
years
are
seeing
these
as
valid
pedagogical
devices
as
they
allow
young
children
to
easily
manipulate
and
interact
with
screen
objects
and
create
digital
content.
Touch-­‐
screen
devices
in
par#cular
encourage
intui#ve
par#cipa#on
in
open-­‐ended
games
and
apps.
!
!
!
(Verenikina
and
Kervin,
2011)

9. Review
of
the
Literature
!
Marsh,
like
many
other
authors
call
for
further
research
into
the
children’s
use
of
digital
technology
sta#ng,
!
!
“Academics
and
educators
need
to
examine
their
affordances
more
closely
in
order
to
iden#fy
what
children
gain
from
their
playful
engagements
in
these
worlds
and
how
their
experiences
can
be
built
upon
in
early
years
se_ngs”
!
!
!
(Marsh,
2010,
p36)

10. Research
Design
A
two
group
pre-­‐test
and
post-­‐test
design.
!
To
measure
student
engagement
and
complexity
of
thinking
before
and
aTer
the
interven#on.
!
To
compare
the
gain
in
mean
score
for
a_tude
and
complexity
of
thinking
of
the
control
group
and
the
experimental
group.

11. Interven#on
Removal
of
the
apps
that
only
allowed
for
simple,
passive,
repe##ve
explora#ons,
which
lacked
possibili#es
for
ways
of
expression.
!
iPads
placed
in
different
loca#ons
within
the
se_ng
to
promote
transferring
between
languages.
!
Children
were
supported
in
their
explora#ons
and
encouraged
to
share
discoveries
and
ways
of
expression
with
each
other.
!
The
children
were
able
to
access
the
iPads
just
as
they
would
the
other
materials
and
ways
of
expression
within
the
se_ng.
!
iPads
could
be
taken
to
different
places
to
work
on.
!
During
class
mee#ngs
the
interven#on
group
were
invited
to
share
with
each
other
projects
that
they
were
proud
of.
!
!
!

12. Sample
Convenience
sample
of
26
Kindergarten
students
from
two
of
four
kindergarten
classes
at
Jakarta
Interna#onal
School,
Indonesia
!
One
class,
KA,
formed
the
control
group
and
the
second
class,
KB,
formed
the
experimental
group
!
Age
range
is
5-­‐6
years
!
The
kindergarten
classes
are
inspired
by
the
principles
of
the
Reggio
Emilia
Educa#onal
Project

13. Instrumenta#on
and
Data
Collec#on
Each
child’s
explora#on
with
the
iPad
was
observed
before
and
aTer
the
interven#on.
Level
of
engagement
was
measured
with
a
Likert
Scale
Survey
ATer
a
lengthy
observa#on
of
a
random
sample
of
five
children
from
the
control
group
and
five
children
from
the
experimental
group,
a
rubric
grade
was
assigned
to
the
explora#ons
to
ascertain
the
complexity
of
thinking
of
the
explora#ons.

14. Threats
to
Validity
Researcher
bias
History
Maturity

15. Results:
Engagement
Control
group
mean
gain
in
score
vs
experimental
mean
gain
in
score.
!
! Group
!
!
!
! Mean
!
Standard
!
Devia4on
!
N
!
!
!
Control
Group
Experimental
Group
2.83
5.5
2.52
1.57
12
12
gain
between
pretest
score
and
post
test
scores
gain
between
pretest
score
and
post
test
scores
!
!
!
!
An
unpaired
t-­‐test,
showed
a
significant
change
in
student
engagement
aTer
the
iPad
interven#on
was
implemented.
A
one-­‐
tailed
P
value
showed
that
the
results
were
sta#s#cally
significant
by
conven#onal
means.
!
t=
3.1161
df=
22
P=0.0025)

16. Visual
representa#on
of
the
control
group
and
experimental
group
gain
in
engagement
scores
Control Group
Experimental Group
6
4.5
3
1.5
0
Mean
gain
in
engagement
score

17. Results:
Complexity
of
Thinking
Control
group
mean
gain
in
score
vs
experimental
mean
gain
in
score.
!
!
! Group
Control
Experimental
!
Group
Group
gain
between
pretest
score
gain
between
pretest
score
!
and
post
test
scores
and
post
test
scores
!
!
4.6
12.2
! Mean
!
3.21
1.3
! Standard
! Devia4on
!
N
5
5
!
!
!
!
!
!
The
results
of
the
analysis
of
complexity
of
thinking
between
the
control
group
and
the
experimental
group
showed
that
the
experimental
group
significantly
increased
the
complexity
of
their
thinking
during
explora#ons
involving
an
iPad.
A
one-­‐tailed
P
value
showed
that
that
the
results
were
sta#s#cally
significant
by
conven#onal
means.
t=4.9058
df=
8
P=0.0006.

18. Visual
representa#on
of
the
control
group
and
experimental
group
gain
in
complexity
of
thinking
scores
Control
Group
Experimental
Group
13
9.75
6.5
3.25
0
Mean
gain
in
score
of
complexity
of
thinking

19. Discussion
Data
and
observa#ons
of
the
children
in
the
control
group
showed
them
to
be
overall,
more
passive
consumers
and
less
engaged.
!
Data
and
observa#ons
of
the
children
in
the
experimental
group
showed
them
to
be
overall
more
crea#ve
and
more
collabora#ve
with
a
higher
level
of
engagement
and
a
higher
level
of
complexity
of
thought.
!

20. Ac#on
Share
results
with
colleagues
within
the
Kindergarten
grade
level
and
in
other
sec#ons
of
the
school.
!
More
thoughjul
selec#on
of
apps
installed
on
the
class
iPads
to
allow
more
expression,
rather
than
passive
consump#on.
!
More
thoughjul
considera#on
of
placement
of
iPads
within
learning
development.
!
Further
reflec#on
on
possible
uses
of
iPads
as
another
of
the
children’s
hundred
languages.

21. Examples
of
the
iPad
used
as
a
language
of
expression
with
a
high
level
of
engagement
and
complexity
of
thinking

22. References
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S.
(2010).
Integra)ng
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educa)on:
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Bird,
J.
(2012)
The
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on
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in
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!
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C.,
Gandini,
L.
and
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G.
(Ed.)
(2012)
The
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Languages
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&
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(2012)
iTouch
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for
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14-­‐16,
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J.
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