Empowering Voices: Implementing Ethical Practices for Young Children's Assent in Digital Research

• In Event: Empowering Young Learners: Enhancing Child Agency Through Educator-Facilitated Digital Exploration

Abstract

Objectives: In the broader context of digital exploration, enhancing child agency remains a critical challenge. This presentation addresses this gap by examining ethical practices for obtaining young children's assent in digital research. It emphasizes empowering children's voices, ensuring their active participation, and respecting their autonomy. The study explores strategies using digital tools that enable children to make informed decisions about their participation and increase their comfort with the research process.

Theoretical Framework: This study is grounded in participatory research methodologies and social semiotics, emphasizing collaboration, shared decision-making, and researching with children as co-researchers in digital contexts (Berson et al., 2019; Huser et al., 2022; Mannell et al., 2024). Social semiotics foregrounds multimodality, recognizing the diverse ways children express themselves (Fleer & Ridgeway, 2014; Potter, 2024).

Methods: This work is based on three research projects, each employing creative methods for seeking informed assent from young children. The projects used an interactive PowerPoint storytelling format, a common communication method in early years pedagogy. During informational sessions, data collection procedures were explained using child-friendly terminology and visual aids (Arnott et al., 2020). Children interacted with tripod cameras and other equipment to familiarize themselves with the research process. Data sources include field notes, photographs, and video recordings of the informational sessions to assess children's understanding and engagement. Multimodal interaction analysis (Jewitt et al., 2016) was used to explore how children understood and engaged with the research process.

Results: Observations indicated that children better understood and felt comfortable with the research process when actively engaged through interactive sessions and hands-on experiences. Visual aids and child-friendly explanations enhanced children's grasp of research procedures (Pyle & Danniels, 2016; Sun et al., 2023). Multimodal interaction analysis revealed how children expressed understanding and assent, highlighting the importance of engaging children with the tools encountered during the study (Huser et al., 2022). The PPT facilitated reflexive questioning about the research's purpose and process, creating 'brave spaces' where children felt empowered to voice their thoughts and questions (Arnott et al., 2020). While these tools did not entirely eliminate power dynamics, they scaffolded opportunities for dialogue and ensured children's active engagement, allowing them to interact with the digital tools and maintain intellectual interest in the assent process.

Scholarly Significance: This approach aligns with ethical standards emphasizing respect for the rights, dignity, and worth of all participants, particularly vulnerable populations such as children. Engaging children through interactive sessions and visual explanations fosters a sense of involvement and empowerment essential for ethical research practices (Arnott et al., 2020; Kirby, 2020). The findings underscore the importance of creating a supportive environment that acknowledges the complexities of school settings and the need for ethical and developmentally appropriate research designs (Larsson et al., 2021; Southgate & Smith, 2017). Obtaining child assent through interactive informational sessions aims to ensure ethical compliance and promote a supportive research environment. This method respects children's rights and enhances their engagement, potentially leading to more reliable and meaningful research outcomes (Huser et al., 2022; Southgate & Smith, 2017).

Authors

• Amanda M. Mirabella, University of North Carolina Asheville

• Ilene R. Berson, University of South Florida

• Michael J. Berson, University of South Florida