Lessons Learned Adapting a Technology-based Program for Latine Families with Young Children

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 3:20 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Affordances and Challenges in Developing, Implementing, and Researching a Digital Media-Based Family Program (Table 7)

Abstract

This paper presents findings from a second case study focused on the ways that the media and digital technology integrated into [Program] appeared to influence the program implementation and adaptation process for Latine families in collaboration with a culturally specific community organization. The participatory case study (Hudon et al., 2021) took place over approximately one year and involved ongoing planning meetings with program developers, researchers, and educators at the partner community-based organization; a two-week program implementation with nine Spanish-speaking and bilingual families; and post-program reflections and collaborative analysis. Data were collected through meeting notes and recordings, family program observations, adult and child workshop feedback forms, and post-workshop interviews with one adult from each family. Case study analysis included documentation and synthesis of all data sources into a case study narrative and the iterative review of the narrative with partners to identify emergent themes (Yin, 2018).

Through the analysis, several themes emerged that will be further elaborated with quotes and research data during the paper presentation:
- Technology is a draw for children and families. Watching the program episodes and engaging with the tablet-based digital games were highly motivating for many participants. In post-session feedback forms, the tablet-based digital games were a favorite aspect of the program for children, and caregivers expressed gratitude for the tablets they received as an incentive.

- Facilitators used a variety of strategies to navigate the unique dynamics of family engagement with technology. Some strategies were built into the program, like headphone splitters that allowed adults, children, and siblings to participate in the digital games together. Others were educator adaptations, like having children gather around the screen during episode viewing to support engagement and providing tablets for all children and siblings in each family group.

- Technology created challenges both implementing and adapting the program. The program required significant time before implementation to understand the technology, set up the tablets, and prepare for internet requirements–all of which took focus away from other planning discussions. During implementation, the technology presented a variety of challenges, such as navigating issues with application lagging or poor internet connections. The episodes and digital games also limited adaptation flexibility, since these aspects could not easily be tailored by educators.

- Technology complicated efforts to support linguistic accessibility for Spanish-speaking families. Educators and caregivers reflected on how the technology was not well adapted to support the complex language preferences within the local Latine community. For example, program episodes were only available in English with auto-generated Spanish subtitles, which were difficult to read and did not necessarily align with the specialized vocabulary of the program. Similarly, with the digital games, some but not all of the text and audio were available in Spanish.

From an equity perspective, these findings suggest the need to carefully consider not only the opportunities associated with technology but also the significant burden it can place on educational organizations and barriers this technology can present to the critical process of adapting programs for local communities (NASEM, 2022).

Authors

• Scott Pattison, TERC

• Smirla Ramos Montañez, TERC

• Viviana López Burgos, TERC

• Saray Garcia, Metropolitan Family Service

• Siobhan O'Malley, Metropolitan Family Service

• Maria Quijano, Metropolitan Family Service

• Amy Corbett, Metropolitan Family Service