This chapter presents the development of a low-cost tangible interface to enhance children's learning through collaborative storytelling, using a set of movable blocks, with a high degree of autonomy and the ability to exchange information with each other. Taking into account the context of the existing game model and on the basis of which this study was developed, the function of these removable blocks is to allow children to create and recreate their own narratives in permanent interaction by manipulating the physical blocks, which trigger the associated virtual representations (characters, e.g., animals, objects, locations, or others). It is expected that children will be able to project these representations on a screen through the activation and manipulation of the physical blocks by adding, removing, moving the blocks while interacting with each other and creating narratives. The authors have attempted to apply a method that could present a new approach to the educational gaming industry.
TopIntroduction
Describe the general perspective of the chapter. End by specifically stating the objectives of the chapter. Make-believe play in early childhood, which involves the use of fantasy and symbolism, is important for children’s overall cognitive development. According to (Fein, G.,1987) play is a symbolic behaviour in which one thing is treated as if it were another. He also underlined the importance of the sensations related to play and considered that affection linked to the game itself is a natural form of promoting creativity (Fein, G.,1987). Research has also highlighted that play is important in the development of creativity as many of the cognitive and affective processes involved in creativity occur when playing (Fein, G.,1987; Russ, S.,1993,1996). The model of affection and creativity identifies the main cognitive and affective processes involved in creativity and their relationship (Russ, S.,1993).
Playing also facilitates divergent thinking because, in play, children exercise the capacities of divergent thinking using objects that represent different things and imagining various scenarios throughout the process (Singer, D. L., & Singer, J.,1990). (Liebennan, J. N., 1977) identified a relationship between play, containing affective components of joy and spontaneity, and divergent thinking in preschool children. Some studies point to a relationship between affective processes during play and creativity as well as recognizing more easily danger (Christie, J., & Johnson, E.,1983; Singer, J. L., & Singer, D. L.,1981).
Creative narratives may be the most appropriate context to stimulate language development in young children, as well as narrative competences (Morais, J., 1994). Storytelling is a social activity, based on shared experiences that can introduce new vocabulary and may also include elements that help to develop phonological awareness, as are often found in repeated patterns, rhymes or funny stories (Sylla, C. et al., 2016). The narratives that occur naturally in children's play is particularly important to stimulate their imagination, to acquire and practice different linguistic styles and to explore their social roles (Meltz B.F., 1999). All kinds of narratives are the basis for understanding and creating our experiences and the world around us. At the individual level, the narratives that we listen to throughout life allow us to build our “role” in the world. At the family level, narratives are often involuntarily used to socialize children to teach them values and principles. When exposed to these stories’ children develop their own narrative skills. At the cultural level the narrative gives cohesion to the transmission of principles and values (Cassell, J., & Ryokai, K., 2001). It has been argued that children can use more elaborated language in their narratives than in their everyday conversations (Peterson C, McCabe A.,1983). Knowing how to read and write remains the basis of education and a prerequisite in other scientific fields, such as science, mathematics and technology. Through participation in language games, narratives, children's interaction with peers contributes to the development of these skills. In this context, of strong interaction, in order to be sure that their messages are clearly perceived children surpass themselves and stimulate each other (Goncu, A., 1993), thereby developing their capacity to build and tell stories (Cassell, J., 2004). The same process occurs through storytelling between tutors and children. Children who show greater interest and involvement in activities related to narratives also demonstrate greater activation in the association areas on the right side of the cerebellum during the task and greater functional connectivity between this activation cluster and the areas of language and executive functions (Hutton, J. S. et al., 2017). Recent studies suggest a potential cerebellar response mechanism at the level of child involvement that can contribute to the development of emerging literacy during childhood and synergy between guardian and child during story sharing (Hutton, J. S. et al., 2017).