Abstract
Play for play's sake is viewed a child's primary occupation from which meaning is derived that transcends it's inherent health, educational or other such value. Examined from this perspective is to acknowledge the intrinsic contribution the doing of play contributes the child's being. The proliferation of technology in an ever-connected world offers increasingly diverse digital spaces for children to play. Such digital spaces present new opportunities for children to co-create new expressions of play; whether alone, with friends, indoors and outdoors, in real and in make-believe worlds. Despite literature in relation to play in digital spaces coming from a plethora of academic fields, this occupational perspective of play as a child-centred, autotelic pursuit remains largely ignored. This research will explore digital play choices, experiences, and outcomes from children's unique perspective. Furthermore, this research aims to reflect the rights and agency of children as meaning-makers and active contributors in inquiry [3], using creative and adaptive approaches through the research process. It is envisioned that this research will contribute to the understanding of the autotelic nature of play in digital spaces. Such understanding will assist children and adults to leverage technology to ensure that meaningful playful experiences proliferate in the future.
Highlights
The 21st century has seen one of the most significant shifts in terms of digitalisation accelerated by rapid shifts in the accessibility of technology and digital devices
Despite literature in relation to play in digital spaces coming from a plethora of academic fields, such as Computer Science, Sociology, Psychology, and Education, play from an occupational perspective has been largely ignored to date
Much of the focus of recent research has been to identify the outcomes of play from an educational or developmental perspective; such as stimulating language, the social participation whilst playing, developing literacy or numeracy and the learning of playing on digital devices to support independent use [see for example; 8, 18]
Summary
The 21st century has seen one of the most significant shifts in terms of digitalisation accelerated by rapid shifts in the accessibility of technology and digital devices. Certainly in most western societies, this means that they are confronted by an increasingly diverse range of leisure and play opportunities. Despite literature in relation to play in digital spaces coming from a plethora of academic fields, such as Computer Science, Sociology, Psychology, and Education, play from an occupational perspective has been largely ignored to date. This research will explore the choices, experiences, and outcomes of children’s participation in play in digital spaces from their own unique perspective
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