"I ask Alexa to play some nursery rhymes, so that was the first word my daughter learnt." : Play, learning and wellbeing with smart speakers in the homes of children aged 0-36 months.

Gillen, Julia and Savadova, Sabina and Flewitt, Rosie and El Gemayel, Sandra and Arnott, Lorna and Mevawalla, Zinnia and Dalziell, Andy and Winter, Karen and Goodall, Janet and Timmins, Sarah (2024) "I ask Alexa to play some nursery rhymes, so that was the first word my daughter learnt." : Play, learning and wellbeing with smart speakers in the homes of children aged 0-36 months. In: European Early Childhood Education Research Association annual conference, 2024-09-03 - 2024-09-06.

Abstract

Research aims This study explores how ubiquitous smart speakers are in homes of children aged 0-36 months in the UK and explores creative strategies with which parents use them to enhance their children’s play, learning and wellbeing. Relationship to previous work Smart speakers, more technically Conversational Assistants, are fascinating manifestation of human-machine interaction, lending themselves to attributions of life-like qualities by very young children, as presaged by Suchman (2007). Andries and Robertson (2023) explored attitudes and experiences of 6-11 year-old children. Theoretical and conceptual framework The post-digital Home Literacy Environment (Flewitt & Clark, 2020) offers a frame for consideration of bodies, physical space, technologies and virtual interactions as inextricably entwined. Paradigm methodology and methods Our mixed-method project comprises a survey of families with children aged 0-36 months across the UK (n>1200); surveys of parents and practitioners (n=60), and case studies (n=40). Here, we take a slice from survey and interview data with parents; so use descriptive and inferential statistics, and thematic analysis. ethical considerations Our detailed ethical framework is constantly interrogated to ensure that research is respectful of all participants (BERA 2018). We translated the survey into 13 languages and designed a bespoke methods palette for multilingual/seldom-heard communities. main finding or discussion Our quantitative findings point to the high frequency of use of smart speakers in homes of very young children, and demonstrate correlations with certain sociodemographic characteristics. Our qualitative data analysis illustrates uses of smart speakers to enhance play, learning and wellbeing. Implications, practice or policy We propose that ECE settings, as well as families, in considering whether or how to make use of smart speakers might benefit from these creative strategies.