KidSmart© in early childhood learning practices: Playful learning potentials?

Abstract

This paper reports on a study exploring the outcomes from children's play with technology in early childhood learning practices. The study is grounded in a sociocultural perspective on play and learning and consists of an analysis of children's interaction with the KidSmart furniture, particularly focusing on playful learning potentials and values suggested by the technology. The study applied a qualitative approach and included125 children (aged three to five), 10 pedagogues, and two librarians. The results suggests that educators should sensitively consider intervening when children are interacting with technology, and rather put emphasize into the integration of the technology into the environment and to the curriculum in order to shape playful structures for children's individual and collective interaction with technology. © 2014 Springer International Publishing.