Detailed notes and links available here: http://stefanieduguay.com/?p=645

1. Using Digital Technologies to
Research Children in Time
Stefanie Duguay

2. Why use digital technologies to research
children in time?
 Why research children?
 They are tomorrow’s adults;
 Their actions affect the future of our society;
 They are subject to moral panics.
 Why use digital technologies?
 Children are the most rapid adopters of new technologies;
 Technology has an impact on children’s lives;
 There is no online/offline divide.
 Why incorporate time?
 Longitudinal studies produce robust findings;
 Researching children over time maps behaviour to development;
 Technology provides a digital archive of people’s lives.

3. Digital Tools for Research
 There are a range of digital tools for
research. For example:
 Automatic tracking tools and ways
for co-researchers to easily record
their online activity;
 Applications for gathering data;
 Social network analysis programs;
 NameGenWeb is an app that
demonstrates digital data collection
and SNA.

4. Researching Digital Data
 Life online can be investigated through:
 Interviews;
 Walk-throughs of SNS profiles, blogs, mobile apps, etc.
 Content analysis of
material posted over
time;
 Online surveys, focus
groups, etc.

5. Digital Dissemination
 Different digital techniques can be used to distribute findings
to various stakeholders:
 Participants/co-researchers: Blogs, videos, space for them to
comment and validate findings;
 The public: Discussion boards, easy access to knowledge
through social media, interactive spaces;
 The academic community: Sharing across departments and
disciplines through websites, webcasts, videos, and listservs.

6. Challenges in Digital Research with Children
 Digital challenges:
 Informed consent;
 Securing tons of data.
 Working with children
 Power relationships;
 Access;
 Confidentiality.
 Challenges and the need for extra measures should not
prevent us from working with children as co-researchers.

7. Conclusion
 If we do not use digital technologies when co-researching with
children, we miss a great deal of the most essential
communication, learning, and self-expression that is taking
place in children’s lives.
 Digital technology can be used to create research tools, gather
and analyse digital data, and disseminate research findings in
order to have an impact on future research, policy
decisions, and the public’s understanding of children’s lives.
 References, links, and further information available here.