Kucirkova, N., Messer, D., Sheehy, K., Flewitt, R. (2013)  Literacy Vol.47 No.3 pp.115-122

Little is known about how specific iPad applications affect parent-child story-sharing interactions. This study utilises a case-study approach to provide an insight into the patterns of interaction, which emerge when a mother and her 33-month-old daughter share a self-created, audio-visual ‘iPad story’. Multimodal analysis allowed us to gain insights into the complex interaction patterns orchestrated in this new, personalised, story-sharing medium. We found that the app-mediated story-sharing context produced a harmonious and smooth interaction, achieving a coherence that is typical of ‘happy’ oral stories. We suggest that the observed interaction resembles that of experiencing a piece of art, and we highlight the need for a holistic approach to understanding the implications for research and practice of children’s interactions during multimedia story sharing.

Read the full article at NCRM eprints