Working group 5
Methodologies

Objectives

To identify the range of methodologies previously or currently employed on relevant projects across Europe.
To identify innovative methodologies that could inform future research in this field, including participatory methods with young children as agentive and valued researchers.
To examine the ethical issues that arise in research on digital literacy in the early years and develop guidance for researchers.
To identify key messages for policy makers.

Original mission statement

The WG will identify the current state of knowledge and practice on quantitative/qualitative/mixed methodologies in research on young children’s digital literacies.

It will draw together current practice on co-production methodologies and multimodal ethnography and on young children’s active participation in research on their digital literacy practices. It will synthesise research and practice in ethical issues in research on young children’s digital literacy in homes, communities, early years settings and schools.

The WG will consider emerging methodologies in terms of the appropriateness for use in this area. It will identify issues regarding the ethics of researching online literacy practices and offer guidance on best practice.

Finally, the WG will identify the future research agenda in this area and examine the implications of all of the areas investigated for researchers and policy makers.

Outputs

WG reports
Published academic literature reviews
Database of methodologies
Guidance on ethics
DigiLitEY research methods think-tank (PDF, 357KB)
Ethical issues related to young children and digital media (PDF, 607KB)
WG5 report February 2016 (PDF, 282KB)

DigiLitEY Methods Corner

We created a new blog site – DigiLitEY Methods Corner – as part of the work of the working group 5 (WG5) of the DigiLitEY COST Action.

In this blog we wanted to provide an accessible resource in which emerging research and methodological issues the study of young children’s digital literacies and practices were discussed. We envisioned ‘short pieces’ written and produced in accessible language, targeting a wide variety of audiences that had an interest in these questions such as junior researchers and students, policy makers, practitioners or families.

Research Methodology Database

As part of the COST Action the digital literacy and multimodal practices of young children (DigiLitEY) we created a Research Methodology Database. With this tool we gathered information from studies focused on the digital practices and experiences of children between 0–8 years of age or of other studies that were directly relevant to children in this age group.

In the first stage of the project we sought to compile a comprehensive database of current research and in the second stage we developed tools that allowed all users to retrieve information and references from this database.

If you have conducted studies that fall within the scope of our interest or know of relevant references we strongly encourage you to access the database form and answer the relevant questions to include your study in the database.

Research Methodology Database form

Research Methodology Database search tool