Intuitive or Idiomatic? An information‐cognitive psychology study of child‐tablet computer interaction

Abstract

Using Luhmann's communication framework we examine the interaction implications that arise when kindergarten‐grade 2 students use mathematics applications on four types of tablet computers. We asked a) what content is communicated between the child and the tablet computer, b) how is content communicated, c) how engaged are children in the tablet‐child interaction, and d) what factors influence this engagement. We found that mathematics applications developers across the four platforms have focused on creating applications for the practice of a priori knowledge rather than on creating instructional applications. Also, the overall the emphasis in the applications studied was not to ‘gamify’ mathematics by providing entertainment but to offer a more traditional pedagogy, and that currently there is a low degree of diversity from developers in making use of the range of affordances of tablet computers. This communication studies‐psychology interdisciplinary study offers a new conceptual approach to the study of child‐tablet interaction.