This study explores the use of interactive Artificial Intelligence (AI)-interfaced robotic toys within early childhood (EC) settings to develop children’s inquiry literacy. Arguments about the appropriate role of AI in EC education have received much attention when examining the potential of the integration of technology into children’s play and learning. Using Vygotsky’s mediation theory (1978) and employing a design-based research methodology, teachers intentionally used AI robotic toys to engage children (4–5 years old) during play experiences. The data from both teachers’ and children’s interviews, observations and artefact analysis revealed how children creatively collaborated with their peers to create a sustainable city for their robot and ‘his’ family to live happily. Children’s play with the AI robot fostered inquiry literacies – namely creative inquiry, emotional inquiry and collaborative inquiry. This study contributes to research by exploring the use of AI toys together with physical and artificial environments and offers a case to shape children’s inquiry literacies. Implications lie in upskilling EC teachers to provide opportunities to play with AI-interfaced robotic toys to foster children’s inquiry literacy development process.

In early childhood education, the integration of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) are advocated as contemporary educational goals. However, integration of STEAM is not defined in the early childhood context. We claim to ‘integrate’ and ‘devise integration pedagogies’, but there is still no clear-cut message on what integration means and how to do it. This paper presents an integrative literature review to conceptualize the integration of STEAM practices in early childhood education. The review highlighted key factors and challenges relating to STEAM integration. The paper concludes with the development of the integrating and navigating STEAM (inSTEAM) conceptual framework derived from the concepts, empirical research, and theories explored in the integrative review of the 17 articles.

This Australian study examines whether and how technologies such as Artificially Intelligent (AI) toys in a home-based setting might socially and emotionally support children with diverse needs through play. Building on the concept of ‘emotional capital', and employing a design-based research approach, parents during the COVID-19 lockdown periods in 2020 intentionally used robotic toys to engage their children with additional diverse needs in home-based play experiences. The data from both parents’ and children’s (n = 5) Zoom interviews, digital observations and children’s drawings demonstrated how children creatively conversed with their AI robots in innovative and empathy-based dialogues that generated happy feelings and a sense of ‘imaginary’ togetherness with their robot during the coding experiences. This study contributes to research by exploring the use of AI robotic toys together with physical and artificial environments and offers a case to build children’s emotional capital in enabling children’s social-emotional literacies.

Background: This paper presents findings from an on-going international study of Early Childhood (EC) teachers’ and children’s use of internet-connected toys (IoToys) to understand possibilities for developing children’s cognitive capacities (e.g., creativity, inquiry, engineering design...

This paper presents findings from an on-going international study of early childhood educators’ and children’s use of new digital technologies, such as the Internet of Toys (IoToys) and the pedagogic interactions which occur when these artefacts are integrated into classrooms. Based on qualitative methodology, data have been collected in four countries: Australia, Norway, Scotland and England. Data collection includes observations of interactions with IoToys (written and video), multimedia messages (digital images, videos), short written reflections and consultations with the children. Findings across all countries show that IoToys offers a platform for interactions to become multidirectional, multidimensional and multimodal. Examining the interactions in the ecology of the playroom, this study calls for pedagogy involving IoToys to provide a platform for children’s rich symbiotic explorations, creativity, collaboration and problem solving.