How Children and Digital Features Mediate Development During App Book Buddy Reading

• In Event: Fresh and New Constructivist Research Papers: Open to All AERA Members

Abstract

This study explored how buddies and digital features interactively shaped the Zone of Free Movement (what is available) and Zone Promoted Action (what is attended to) during interactive, multimodal buddy reading to support a shift from their Zone of Proximal Development (what they are ready to do with support) to their new Zone of Actual Development (what they can do independently). Twenty-four kindergarteners were video-recorded reading two app books, twice each for 15 minutes, with a buddy. These were transcribed for analysis. Emergent coding and constant comparative methods were used to develop codes and identify patterns. Three patterns emerged--one facilitated children’s development (when buddies shared a focus in the Zone of Promoted Action), and the other two did not

Authors

• Iman Bakhoda, Oakland University

• Tanya M. Christ, Oakland University

• X. Christine Wang, University at Buffalo - SUNY