Purpose

This paper describes the unintended and unanticipated ways an iPhone as a data collection tool created distractions during observations of five-year-old twins' digital literacy practices while in their home.

Design/methodology/approach

Situated in sociocultural theories of learning and development and new literacy studies, the 12-month-long case study examined young children's digital literacy practices in their homes before and during their transition into kindergarten. The article focuses on the data collection of five-year-old twins in their home with their parents, a family the author called the Skywalkers. Data sources included semistructured interviews, participant observations and informal conversations.

Findings

The mother was a low-technology user and preferred her children to engage in nondigital activities. The children were permitted 10 min every other day of “digital time.” The iPhone as a data collection tool provided them with digital access they would otherwise not have. The mother knew the focus of the study was digital engagement and that the iPhone was used for data collection (i.e. photographs and videos). Although the iPhone was intended to be used in establishing rapport and taking photographs, the children frequently asked to video record their play and therefore the iPhone became a distraction.

Originality/value

Given the prevalence of smartphones in Western society, the recruitment of a family with such low-technology use was unforeseen. As digital data collection increases in qualitative research, researchers should not assume that a smartphone is always appropriate for gathering photographic data. This is particularly important when investigating digital literacy practices of families in their homes.

中文翻译：

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iPhone的数据收集：低技术家庭的干扰

目的

本文描述了iPhone作为数据收集工具的意外和出乎意料的方式，这种方式在观察五岁双胞胎在家里时的数字素养实践时会引起分心。

设计/方法/方法

这项为期12个月的案例研究以学习与发展的社会文化理论以及新的识字研究为基础，研究了幼儿在过渡到幼儿园之前和过渡期间在家中的数字素养实践。这篇文章重点介绍了与父母（一个名为天行者的家庭）的父母一起在家中五岁双胞胎的数据收集。数据来源包括半结构化访谈，参与者观察和非正式对话。

发现

这位母亲是技术含量低的用户，更喜欢她的孩子参加非数字活动。每隔一天的“数字时间”允许孩子10分钟。iPhone作为一种数据收集工具，为他们提供了其他方式无法获得的数字访问权限。这位母亲知道研究的重点是数字互动，并且iPhone用于数据收集（即照片和视频）。尽管iPhone旨在用于建立融洽关系和拍照，但孩子们经常被要求对他们的游戏进行视频记录，因此iPhone成了一种干扰。

创意/价值

考虑到智能手机在西方社会的盛行，因此无法招募到如此低技术含量的家庭。随着定性研究中数字数据收集的增加，研究人员不应假定智能手机始终适合收集照片数据。在调查家中家庭的数字素养实践时，这一点尤其重要。