Children, wellbeing and digital technologies: researching the digital child

Presentation 1: Supporting families to enrich children’s language and literacy learning using a digital texting program

Associate Professor Lennie Barblett (Educated)

This presentation will describe a research project “Kindytxt” that developed, delivered and evaluated a literacy text‐messaging program (‘Kindytxt’) for parents/carers of children attending kindergarten in 16 Local Government Areas across Western Australia. Texts were delivered weekly over three school terms, in collaboration with the Better Beginnings Kindergarten Program, a State Library of WA (SLWA) family literacy program delivered by local librarians to families with children attending kindergarten.

Presentation 2: The digital identity of children living with type 1 diabetes in an online community for families

Professor Lisa Whitehead (Healthy)

This presentation will explore the development and representation of the digital identity of children through data sourced from an online forum for families living with a child or children with type 1 diabetes. Preliminary data on identity will be presented and the process for further exploring how the identity generated in the forum influences and reflects children’s perceptions of self will be described.

Presentation 3: Very young children’s socio‐emotional exploration and identity work online

Professor Lelia Green (Connected)

Working with data from children and families of 2‐3 year‐olds (9 participant children) and 4‐5 year‐olds (11 participant children), in Australia and in the UK, this presentation details some of the evidence supporting a hypothesis that children use their digital engagement, in part, to explore and expand their socio‐emotional skills and to refine and express their sense of personal identity.