Out of the Box, but In the Zone? Can digital toy technology provide a more able peer for young learners?

摘要

In this paper we explore the use of interactive digital toys to provide support for, and engender collaboration between peers. The interactive toys in question are plush and cuddly cartoon characters (Arthur and DW) designed for children aged 4-7 years, with embedded sensors that can be squeezed to evoke spoken feedback. The toy can also be linked to a desktop PC with compatible software using a wireless radio connection. Once this connection is made the toy offers hints and tips to the children as they play with the accompanying software games. If the toy is absent, the same hints and tips are available through an on-screen animated icon of the toy's cartoon character. In our classroom based studies of children interacting with the associated software, children interacted with their peer and the researcher to a greater extent when the toy was present than when the toy was absent. The results suggest that the presence of a tangible interface increases the interactions that occur around, through, and with the technology. Perhaps if we take the digital assistant out of the desktop box we can improve the potency of the software scaffolding we can offer?