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I look at how children communicate their ideas, for example ideas about numbers, when they use different learning materials. These materials could be small plastic blocks (Unifix), or they could be digital squares that children move on an iPad or Nintendo wii. As well as investigating  what children say, I look at what children’s hands are doing.   Is it easier moving plastic blocks around on a table than sliding squares on an iPad? What happens when children can make big hand movements when they move squares using a Nintendo wii? Is it more fun? Does it change how they describe their ideas? Does it change how they work with other children? Does it help them learn? What do you think? 

I then use this work to make new digital learning materials. This is the fun bit. I made some maths squares that you can Youtube watch or download free if you have an iPad (Called Digicubes).

The more fun bit is I get to play with, I mean test, new types of technology. One type is called Tangible Technology.  This is where you have digital technology inside something like a plastic block. By understanding how different materials change learning, I can help people decide whether it is worth using these new technologies  in classrooms. 

I say classrooms, but another line of my work is thinking about technologies for very young children. Babies even.  Do you think children this young should use technology?

 I think you could say I have about four different types of day. I can have a ‘investigating day‘ where I visit a school and work with children to see how different technologies change how they think and learn.

I have a ‘writing day‘, when I write down and use pictures to say what I found out in schools. I used to hate writing, but with practice and wanting to share some ideas, I now enjoy it.

I have a ‘presenting day’. This is where I tell people face to face about my work. It may be a conference in another county, it may be a talk in a local school. It’s my way to make sure people know what I find out, and let it help them in their work.

Finally, I have a ‘making day’. For me, this is designing, creating, or testing technologies for children’s learning. Look up something like ‘arduino toys‘ in google images to give you an idea of what I mean.