Peer interaction in mixed age groups: a study in the computer area of an early childhood education center in Portugal

摘要

The study was developed as a teacher-research project during initial teacher education – MastersDegree of Early Childhood and Primary Education, in Portugal. It analysed the interactions betweenchildren of 3 to 6 years old, during the use of the computer as a free choice activity, confrontingsituations between peers of the same age and situations between peers of different ages. The focus ofthe analysis was the collaborative interactions. This was a qualitative study.Children could choose the computer, amongst other interest areas, and work for around an hour inpairs. In the computer, children used mainly educational games. During four weeks, the interactionsbetween the pairs were audio recorded. Field notes and informal interviews to the children were alsoused to collect data. Eleven children were involved in the study with ages ranging from 3 to 6 yearsold. Baseline data on children’s basic computer proficiency was collected using the IndividualizedComputer Proficiency Checklist (ICPC) by Hyun. The recorded interactions were analysed using thetypes of talk offered by Scrimshaw and Perkins and Wegerif and Scrimshaw: cumulative talk,exploratory talk, disputational talk, and tutorial talk. This framework was already used in a study in anearly childhood education context in Portugal by Amante.The results reveal differences in computer use and characterize the observed interactions. Sevendifferent pairs of children's interactions were analysed. More than a third of the interactions werecumulative talk, followed by exploratory talk, tutorial talk and disputational talk. Comparing same andmixed age pairs, we observed that cumulative talk is the more present interaction, but in same agepairs this is followed by exploratory talk whereas in the mixed age pairs it is tutorial talk that has thesecond largest percentage. The pairs formed by the children were very asymmetrical in terms of ageand computer proficiency. This lead to the more tutorial interactions, where one children showed theother or directed him/her on how to play.The results show that collaboration is present during the use of a computer area in early childhoodeducation. The free choice of the children means the adults can only suggest pairing suited to specificinteractions between the children. Another way to support children in more exploratory talk interactionscould be by discussing the way the older children can help the younger ones beyond directing orcorrecting their work.