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Computational Playgrounds: Foundations and Futures of AI, Play, and Pedagogy in Early Childhood

Thu, April 9, 4:15 to 5:45pm PDT (4:15 to 5:45pm PDT), JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: 3rd Floor, Georgia I

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

This symposium explores how artificial intelligence (AI) and computational technologies are transforming early childhood education (ECE) through the lens of the “computational playground”—a space where play, pedagogy, and intelligent tools converge. Featuring six studies from the United States and Hong Kong, the session begins with two conceptual reviews that provide foundational insights into young children’s perceptions and interactions with intelligent agents and the evolving research on computational thinking in ECE. Four empirical papers follow, examining how children and teachers engage with AI in creative, inquiry-driven, and classroom-based contexts. Together, these studies illuminate how AI-powered tools can support developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, and ethically grounded learning experiences while inviting critical dialogue about the future of play and pedagogy in AI-mediated environments.

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