A narrative of meeting a computer: A cognitive-ethnographic study of self-directed computer learning

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In this study, the self-directed learning (SDL) processes of children who have never used a computer before were examined within the cultural context they live in. In accordance with the subject of the research, a village, located in a rural area of the Southeastern Anatolia region in Turkey, where crucial digital divide and low socioeconomic conditions exist, was chosen to reach the children who have not used a computer before. By using a “cognitive ethnography” research design, the cultural foundations of cognitive processes were evaluated and authentic data were obtained. The research includes a long-term participatory observation over a period of two summer terms in accordance with the nature of ethnographic studies. The research group consists of 46 children, ages 6 to 11. Throughout the research, the children were elaborately observed on how they managed to organize their SDL process without any guidance when they were left with computers. In the process, children’s learning and how they had been affected by the guidance and collaborative work were examined by giving them simple clues, asking them questions to foster curiosity, and allowing them to form groups. The observation process has spread to many moments of the day, such as students’ social environments, living conditions at home, and learning processes at the computer. Open coding and axial coding methods were used in data analysis. As a result of the study, it was observed that demographic variables, guidance, and ethnocultural characteristics have a significant impact on children’s learning behaviors. The research findings show that: (1) In the SDL process, unconscious explorations and trial and error gradually give way to conscious reasoning, (2) The SDL process becomes more effective with some guidance focusing on the needs of a student and collaborative learning, (3) Girls mostly preferred word processing and drawing applications, while boys preferred games and research on the Internet, (4) Although boys display a more confident and dominant attitude towards computers, girls have used applications effectively throughout the process, and (5) The older age group, especially accustomed to the cultural and classroom authoritarian approach, had difficulty in getting used to the SDL autonomy at the beginning. Details in research findings present vital data within the context of the impact of cultural background on the educational processes and evaluating this impact in terms of education programs.