ABSTRACTBackgroundIn this paper, we extend findings from previous iterations of a design‐based project called ThinkerSpaces design studios that promotes human‐centred design among children. ThinkerSpaces design studios is a play‐based afterschool club that follows principles of embedded design by prioritising learner agency, exploration and ongoing reflection for the purpose of improvement.MethodsIn this study, we wanted to examine the difference in collaborative interactions across different technological conditions and the learning outcomes these conditions provided. Thus, we created three comparative technology conditions, that is, physical, screen and mixed technologies, each of which represented a collaborative learning environment dominated by a particular kind of technology. We ran three different sections of the club to vary these technology conditions and control when we introduced them. We use a mixed‐methods approach to analyse the data and capture distinct aspects of the learning ecology to understand the following questions: (RQ1) How do collaborative interactions differ as young learners engage with different technologies; and (RQ2) What does productive and unproductive talk looked like across conditions and what learning opportunities do they provide. Our population included 36 third to seventh grade learners enrolled across three club section. Learners were placed into four triads in each section for a period of 14–18 weeks.FindingsWe found that physical technologies produced the most productive talk, followed by the mixed technology condition. Screen‐based technologies produced the most unproductive talk. However, when we further investigated unproductive talk, we discovered that unproductive talk supported different forms of agency and creativity that facilitated learners' ability to develop digital fluency. Students also learned how to regulate collaborative activity around technology. We use these findings to propose changes in technology integration approaches in teaching and learning.ContributionWe end the paper by proposing a collective technology integration framework that helps facilitators design learning environments that promote learner agency in the process of technology integration.
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