Multiple voices in ICT design with children – a nexus analytical enquiry

Abstract

Abstract. Children's participation in information and communication technology (ICT) design is an established interdisciplinary research field. Methods for children's participation have been developed, but a closer link between theory and design has been called for, as well as an examination of various participants influencing children's participation in ICT design. This paper addresses these gaps by introducing the research strategy of nexus analysis as a promising theoretical framework. Especially the concepts of 'interaction order' and 'historical body' are utilized in the analysis of six empirical studies on ICT design with children. The analysis shows that through the participating children there were also 'others' involved, multiple voices to be heard, often invisible but informing design. Some of these 'others' have already been acknowledged in literature but the issue has not been examined in depth and common vocabulary for this is lacking. Some practical implications will be offered by illustrating how to consider these concepts in different phases of ICT design: when establishing relationships with children, involving children as participant designers, and analysing the results of these participative processes.

Exclusions in social inclusion projects: Struggles in involving children in digital technology development

“…Our interdisciplinary research group has organized a number of digital technology development projects with children (see Iivari et al, ; Iivari & Kinnula, ; Iivari & Kinnula, ; Kinnula, Laari‐Salmela, & Iivari, ; Kuure et al, ; Kuure, Halkola, Iivari, Kinnula, & Molin‐Juustila, ; Molin‐Juustila, Kinnula, Iivari, Kuure, & Halkola, ). Five of the six presented studies have been conducted in the context of Finnish schools.…”

Interaction Order and Historical Body Shaping Children’s Making Projects—A Literature Review

“…In nexus analysis, the links between micro-actions and broader social issues are acknowledged and studied [53]. Regarding digital technology design and use, nexus analysis has been used for studying complex topics, such as 'imitation in the design process' [59], discourses on children's online safety [60], different genres children use and subject positions they take when making video diaries [61], and factors shaping children's participation in the design process [62]. It has also been used for structuring literature reviews [52].…”

“…These concepts can be analytically distinguished from each other but in real life they are intertwined in the social action [53]. In this study, the concepts of interaction order and historical body are used as a lens to study the literature on technology Making and children (see [62] for further discussion of the use of these concepts as analytical tools). When studying social action, interaction order [64] between the actors places the focus on why and how people interact in certain ways when situated in different groupings and how that affects the examined social action.…”

“…In addition to separately discussing aspects relating to interaction order and historical body, we also wish to highlight that they are intertwined in practice [53,62]. When actually engaging with children in Making activities, historical bodies of the participants and interaction orders established and emerging among them form complex constellations that shape and direct the work in various ways.…”

“…As regards education, studies using nexus analysis have focused for example on language learning [57,58]. Nexus analysis has also been utilized to understand complex issues intertwined with technology design and use (some examples: [50,[59][60][61][62]). These studies, altogether, reveal that nexus analysis enables drawing attention to deeper, underlying aspects shaping the work and projects with children.…”