Designing Digital Games That Engage Preschool Learners in Engineering Practices

• In Event: AERA Virtual Poster Session 3
  In Poster Session: Curricular and Pedagogical Designs for STEM+C Learning

Abstract

This work promotes young children's engagement in authentic engineering practices by articulating design features of digital games that engage preschool learners in engineering practices. We build on evidence highlighting the importance of early STEM experiences for young children and leverage unique affordances of digital tools for promoting early STEM learning. A multidisciplinary team designed and developed two digital games addressing a set of preschool engineering learning goals. We gathered data from co-design sessions, interviews with teachers and parents, and video of children playing the games. We discuss game design features that emerged as particularly important for promoting children's engineering learning. Our findings have implications for the design of digital and hands-on preschool STEM experiences.

Authors

• Kevin McElhaney, Digital Promise

• Tiffany Leones, Digital Promise

• Ximena Dominguez, Digital Promise

• Louise Flannery, WGBH Educational Foundation

• Regan Calabro Vidiksis, EDC Center for Children and Technology

• Danae Kamdar, Digital Promise

• Jillian Orr, WGBH Educational Foundation