2019
Heljakka, Katriina; Ihamäki, Pirita
Ready, Steady, Move! Coding Toys, Preschoolers, and Mobile Playful Learning Proceedings Article
In: Zaphiris, Panayiotis; Ioannou, Andri (Ed.): Learning and Collaboration Technologies. Ubiquitous and Virtual Environments for Learning and Collaboration, pp. 68-79, Springer International, 2019, ISBN: 9783030218164.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Coding toys, Internet of play, Internet of toys, Mobile playful learning, Physical activity
@inproceedings{Heljakka2019e,
title = {Ready, Steady, Move! Coding Toys, Preschoolers, and Mobile Playful Learning},
author = {Katriina Heljakka and Pirita Ihamäki},
editor = {Panayiotis Zaphiris and Andri Ioannou},
doi = {10.1007/978-3-030-21817-1_6},
isbn = {9783030218164},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-06-15},
booktitle = {Learning and Collaboration Technologies. Ubiquitous and Virtual Environments for Learning and Collaboration},
pages = {68-79},
publisher = {Springer International},
abstract = {This paper introduces a study focusing on preschool children’s employment of coding toys as a part of their daily play activities. Twenty preschoolers, aged 5–6 years, and their preschool teachers participated in a three-month study of playful learning and the STEM topic of coding. The main interest was to explore how preschoolers explore, utilize, and challenge the hybrid play affordances of the Dash robot, in relation to coding exercises, and how their teachers concurrently expanded their own knowledge of how a contemporary smart toy can support the learning of 21st-century skills. We approached this two-part research question through a multimethod approach, including diary methods, thematic teacher interviews, and an analysis of preschoolers’ own videos of their play sessions. The findings of our study highlight the mobility aspect of the playful learning of coding with Dash. Our study also shows how preschoolers quickly learned to build obstacle courses for Dash by coding them with an app on an iPad, and how the movement of the toy inspired the preschoolers to come up with new play ideas, incorporating themselves as players. In light of these findings, the authors suggest that coding toys, such as Dash, can be evaluated from the perspective of mobile playful learning, which centers around the use of interactive, smart, and mobile toys. Our study also shows that these toys playfully invite and encourage young learners to physical activity while they learn the logic and skills related to coding.},
keywords = {Coding toys, Internet of play, Internet of toys, Mobile playful learning, Physical activity},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
This paper introduces a study focusing on preschool children’s employment of coding toys as a part of their daily play activities. Twenty preschoolers, aged 5–6 years, and their preschool teachers participated in a three-month study of playful learning and the STEM topic of coding. The main interest was to explore how preschoolers explore, utilize, and challenge the hybrid play affordances of the Dash robot, in relation to coding exercises, and how their teachers concurrently expanded their own knowledge of how a contemporary smart toy can support the learning of 21st-century skills. We approached this two-part research question through a multimethod approach, including diary methods, thematic teacher interviews, and an analysis of preschoolers’ own videos of their play sessions. The findings of our study highlight the mobility aspect of the playful learning of coding with Dash. Our study also shows how preschoolers quickly learned to build obstacle courses for Dash by coding them with an app on an iPad, and how the movement of the toy inspired the preschoolers to come up with new play ideas, incorporating themselves as players. In light of these findings, the authors suggest that coding toys, such as Dash, can be evaluated from the perspective of mobile playful learning, which centers around the use of interactive, smart, and mobile toys. Our study also shows that these toys playfully invite and encourage young learners to physical activity while they learn the logic and skills related to coding.
2018
Ihamäki, Pirita; Heljakka, Katriina
The Internet of Toys, Connectedness and Character-based Play in Early Education Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the Future Technologies Conference (FTC) 2018, pp. 1079–1096, 2018, ISSN: 21945357.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Internet of things, Internet of toys, Toy-based learning, Toyification
@inproceedings{Ihamäki2018d,
title = {The Internet of Toys, Connectedness and Character-based Play in Early Education},
author = {Pirita Ihamäki and Katriina Heljakka},
doi = {10.1007/978-3-030-02686-8_80},
issn = {21945357},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-10-18},
urldate = {2019-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the Future Technologies Conference (FTC) 2018},
pages = {1079–1096},
abstract = {The concept of the Internet of Things defines the idea of the Internet – a global, interconnected network of computers connected to everyday objects, products, and other objects in the surrounding environments. Again, at the heart of the concept of the Internet of Toys lies the idea of playthings that are capable of information processing and communicating with children, with other connected toys and their environment, and even autonomous decision taking. This study aims to understand smart and connected toys potentialities in the context of toy-based learning. We have conducted a study with 20 preschool-aged children from ages 5 to 6 years by using a group interview and playtests with three Internet of Toys' playthings. Our main conclusions are that although these toys as ‘edutainment' cater for opportunities for toy-based learning, one of the key factors for preschoolers is the creative play patterns that they come up with these character toys. This imaginative form of play may even overshadow the toys educational potential unless they are used in the context of guided play.},
keywords = {Internet of things, Internet of toys, Toy-based learning, Toyification},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
The concept of the Internet of Things defines the idea of the Internet – a global, interconnected network of computers connected to everyday objects, products, and other objects in the surrounding environments. Again, at the heart of the concept of the Internet of Toys lies the idea of playthings that are capable of information processing and communicating with children, with other connected toys and their environment, and even autonomous decision taking. This study aims to understand smart and connected toys potentialities in the context of toy-based learning. We have conducted a study with 20 preschool-aged children from ages 5 to 6 years by using a group interview and playtests with three Internet of Toys' playthings. Our main conclusions are that although these toys as ‘edutainment' cater for opportunities for toy-based learning, one of the key factors for preschoolers is the creative play patterns that they come up with these character toys. This imaginative form of play may even overshadow the toys educational potential unless they are used in the context of guided play.
Heljakka, Katriina; Ihamäki, Pirita
Smart Toys for Game-based and Toy-based Learning: A Study of Toy Marketers', Preschool teachers' and Parents' Perspectives on Play Proceedings Article
In: CENTRIC 2018 : The Eleventh International Conference on Advances in Human-oriented and Personalized Mechanisms, Technologies, and Services, pp. 48–57, 2018, ISBN: 978-1-61208-670-5.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Game-based learning, Internet of toys, Preschool-children, Smart toys, Toys
@inproceedings{Heljakka2018g,
title = {Smart Toys for Game-based and Toy-based Learning: A Study of Toy Marketers', Preschool teachers' and Parents' Perspectives on Play},
author = {Katriina Heljakka and Pirita Ihamäki},
url = {https://www.thinkmind.org/index.php?view=article&articleid=centric_2018_3_10_38001},
isbn = {978-1-61208-670-5},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-10-14},
urldate = {2018-10-14},
booktitle = {CENTRIC 2018 : The Eleventh International Conference on Advances in Human-oriented and Personalized Mechanisms, Technologies, and Services},
pages = {48–57},
abstract = {Over the next years smart Internet-connected toys are expected to grow significantly in numbers. Our study explores smart toys’ potential to deliver experiences related to playful learning. One key aspect of toys, such as the CogniToys Dino, Fisher-Price’s Smart Toy Bear and Wonder Workshop’s Dash Robot are their game-based and toy-based features and functions, which are suggested to have educational outcomes when used in play. Through a comparative investigation of toy marketers’, preschool teachers’ and the parents’ of preschoolaged children’s perspectives of smart toys potential—and a comparison to the actual play experiences of preschoolers discovered in earlier stages of research, we demonstrate how the educational potential of contemporary smart toys may be categorized into game-based and toy-based affordances that may be employed for specific educational goals in playful learning.},
keywords = {Game-based learning, Internet of toys, Preschool-children, Smart toys, Toys},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Over the next years smart Internet-connected toys are expected to grow significantly in numbers. Our study explores smart toys’ potential to deliver experiences related to playful learning. One key aspect of toys, such as the CogniToys Dino, Fisher-Price’s Smart Toy Bear and Wonder Workshop’s Dash Robot are their game-based and toy-based features and functions, which are suggested to have educational outcomes when used in play. Through a comparative investigation of toy marketers’, preschool teachers’ and the parents’ of preschoolaged children’s perspectives of smart toys potential—and a comparison to the actual play experiences of preschoolers discovered in earlier stages of research, we demonstrate how the educational potential of contemporary smart toys may be categorized into game-based and toy-based affordances that may be employed for specific educational goals in playful learning.
Ihamäki, Pirita; Heljakka, Katriina
Smart, Skilled and Connected in the 21st Century: Educational Promises of the Internet of Toys (IoToys) Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the Hawaii International Conference on Arts & Humanities 2018, 2018.
Abstract | Links | Tags: Internet of toys, Media education, Toy-based learning, Toyification, Toyification of education
@inproceedings{Ihamäki2018c,
title = {Smart, Skilled and Connected in the 21st Century: Educational Promises of the Internet of Toys (IoToys)},
author = {Pirita Ihamäki and Katriina Heljakka},
url = {https://huichawaii.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Ihamaki-Pirita-2018-AHSE-HUIC.pdf},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-06},
urldate = {2018-01-06},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the Hawaii International Conference on Arts & Humanities 2018},
abstract = {This study explores the relation between preschool children and smart, connected toys, which show educational promises regarding the Internet of Toys (IoToys). Smart environments, such as educational environments, when combined with networked wireless toys interacting with each other, computers, mobile phones, smart objects, and online communities, offer opportunities for unique entertainment and learning experiences (Collins et al., 2010).
When considering the IoToys, learning is expected to happen in play through physical and digital manipulation of the toys’ affordances. Our study employs four IoToys: Hatchimals, CogniToys Dino, Fisher-Price’s Smart Toy Bear, and Wonder Workshop’s Dash Robot. The purpose of the paper is to investigate what kind of play patterns may be detected in the connected toys included in our case study. One of the main goals is to explore which educational needs these toys cater to by investigating their educational promises through three perspectives: an analysis of the toy makers’ ideas on the affordances and educational value of the toys; a survey concerning parental views on the educational potential of digitally-enhanced toys; and finally, group interviews and play tests regarding preschool- aged children’s own responses about possible learning experiences related to the toys.},
keywords = {Internet of toys, Media education, Toy-based learning, Toyification, Toyification of education},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
This study explores the relation between preschool children and smart, connected toys, which show educational promises regarding the Internet of Toys (IoToys). Smart environments, such as educational environments, when combined with networked wireless toys interacting with each other, computers, mobile phones, smart objects, and online communities, offer opportunities for unique entertainment and learning experiences (Collins et al., 2010).
When considering the IoToys, learning is expected to happen in play through physical and digital manipulation of the toys’ affordances. Our study employs four IoToys: Hatchimals, CogniToys Dino, Fisher-Price’s Smart Toy Bear, and Wonder Workshop’s Dash Robot. The purpose of the paper is to investigate what kind of play patterns may be detected in the connected toys included in our case study. One of the main goals is to explore which educational needs these toys cater to by investigating their educational promises through three perspectives: an analysis of the toy makers’ ideas on the affordances and educational value of the toys; a survey concerning parental views on the educational potential of digitally-enhanced toys; and finally, group interviews and play tests regarding preschool- aged children’s own responses about possible learning experiences related to the toys.
When considering the IoToys, learning is expected to happen in play through physical and digital manipulation of the toys’ affordances. Our study employs four IoToys: Hatchimals, CogniToys Dino, Fisher-Price’s Smart Toy Bear, and Wonder Workshop’s Dash Robot. The purpose of the paper is to investigate what kind of play patterns may be detected in the connected toys included in our case study. One of the main goals is to explore which educational needs these toys cater to by investigating their educational promises through three perspectives: an analysis of the toy makers’ ideas on the affordances and educational value of the toys; a survey concerning parental views on the educational potential of digitally-enhanced toys; and finally, group interviews and play tests regarding preschool- aged children’s own responses about possible learning experiences related to the toys.