Capturing children's knowledge-making dialogues in Minecraft

The aim of this article is to address how online tools and digital technologies can influence data collection opportunities. We are still at the early stages of piecing together a more holistic picture of the role of digital media in young people's everyday lives, especially regarding digital gaming among younger children. Digital technologies have enabled both new ways of gaming together and the possibility of capturing children's everyday knowledge-making dialogues in a non-institutionalized digital environment. In this case study, the online tool FRAPS®, which enables players to record their play sessions while gaming was used to address data collection opportunities. By using this tool, the lifeworlds of children could be displayed through their knowledge-making dialogues, which also captured the resources the children use when they collaboratively played Minecraft. The analysis draws on peer learning and on Vygotsky's notions of object-regulation, other-regulation and self-regulation. The results show that language was a resource when the children collaboratively played, Minecraft® online, as enabling other-regulation. Other resources of importance connected to language use were digital tools and artefacts, such as computers, headsets, Skype and smartphones, object-regulation. The children's previous knowledge and experiences from their ordinary lifeworld used in the game also became resources. The resources can also be built into the game and regarded as affordances. The children already know how many of these affordances are used, self-regulation, and external assistance did not seem necessary.

"The results show that language was a resource when the children collaboratively played, Minecraft® online, as enabling other-regulation. Other resources of importance connected to language use were digital tools and artefacts, such as computers, headsets, Skype and smartphones, object-regulation. The children's previous knowledge and experiences from their ordinary lifeworld used in the game also became resources. The resources can also be built into the game and regarded as affordances. The children already know how many of these affordances are used, self-regulation, and external assistance did not seem necessary." (Authors, in Abstract)