Where the attention is: Discovery learning in novel tangible environments

Engagement is a frequently reported measure in evaluation studies of technology mediated learning environments. In the context of novel digital technologies, where the ‘novelty’ factor is inherent in interaction with emergent technologies, the concept of engagement is often reported at a general level of description of fun and enjoyment. Although this importantly indicates positive appraisal of the environment it does not provide any detail about how the participants are ‘engaged’. For example, what are they doing and thinking about, where is their attention focused – is it on a learning task, a tangential entertaining activity or even the technology itself? This paper offers a more detailed analysis of students’ foci of interaction, to provide insight into the different ways that children are both cognitively and physically engaged during a discovery-based learning experience. Three key foci of interaction within the learning space (learning concept, tangential activity, technology) were derived from video data analysis. A coding scheme for identifying these interaction foci was developed and applied to empirical data with a tangible learning environment. In depth analysis showed close relationships between the different foci of interaction and the learning process: engaging with a tangential activity in a exploratory interaction engendered cognitive engagement with domain related concepts; while engaging with technology to understand the basics of the system’s functioning could facilitate higher levels of conceptual abstraction. This article highlights the different interaction foci that students take in innovative, technology-enhanced learning environments, and provides an analytical approach, which informs and extends current evaluation approaches towards student engagement in novel digital environments.

► Novel technology-based learning environments often report subjective measures of fun.
► Our study indicated different foci of student interest during exploratory interaction.
► Detailed descriptions of categories were developed for coding and analysis.
► Close relationships between foci of interaction and the learning process were shown.
► This approach extends current evaluation methods in novel digital environments.