Children’s agency: Developing a digital app to voice family narratives

Abstract

Children negotiate their lives through the narratives to which they are exposed in digital, print and oral form. The Rose’s Story app project drew on a philosophy that positions children as social agents. We used the social and contextual elements underlying children’s experiences with technology to develop a digital app for young children from the Australian military community by leveraging family narratives to portray children’s agency. Data to develop the app was taken from a 2017 study involving 2 to 5 year-old children from 11 Australian Defence Force families. Findings from the Rose’s Story app project can be applied practically to impact the well-being of children from military families, their parents, educators, and the broader community by increasing understanding and empathy. This article outlines effective ways to utilize a productive medium for children’s voices to be heard, as well as identifies potential barriers.