Child-Led Digital Documentation as Literacy: Centering Children’s Voices in Kindergarten Narratives

• In Event: Writing in Digital Spaces

Abstract

This qualitative study examines kindergarten children’s perspectives on literacy and learning through multimodal digital documentation. Using a postqualitative approach of thinking with theory, we “plugged in” Bakhtin’s notion of heteroglossia to analyze self-directed narratives. Findings reveal tensions between standardized literacy instruction and children’s authentic meaning making, highlighting a shift from adult-centered to child-centered perspectives. This study underscores the potential for digital documentation to empower young learners and reimagine multimodal literacy practices in early childhood education.

Authors

• Andrea Sanchez, Kent State University

• Jackie Ridley, Kent State University