Social Interaction and Interactive Technology in the Preschool Classroom

Increased use of technology in early childhood classrooms comes with new concerns about how technology may impact the development of social skills in young children. This mixed methods study examines how the use of a multi-touch table influences social skills and interactions of preschoolers in a head start setting. Eight children ages three to five were video recorded while using a multi-touch table during free choice time in groups of three for ten minute increments. Tracking sheets were used to track how often social interactions occurred for each child. Results indicated students played cooperatively 12% of their time and parallel to each other 3% of the time. The qualitative data indicated verbal interactions among peers included asking for help, encouragement, and sharing their likes and dislikes. Findings from the study highlight the importance and value of social interaction during group technology usage in the classroom and its implications for social development