PhD Ceremony: Denise Mensonides (University of Groningen)
Navigating the Digital Playground
Date: February 6, 2025, 11:00
Location: University of Groningen, Academy Building
This dissertation investigates how children aged 8 to 12 develop digital literacies in ways that are personally meaningful to them. It highlights the role of different social contexts, such as the home, school and afterschool care, in these processes. Through longitudinal participant observations and interviews with children, parents and teachers, it explores how the use of digital media within different social contexts can contribute to the development of digital literacies. A key finding is that there is an essential role for play in these processes. The research shows that play helps children explore and experiment with digital media, both online and offline, and that it provides opportunities to develop tactics and skills that contribute to their development of digital literacies.
The studies in this dissertation address various aspects of digital literacies. A first aspect includes digital risky play, through which children playfully develop tactics to navigate risks and develop resilience. A second aspect concerns children’s (lived) citizenship, which children explore by interacting with news through play. Finally, it addresses how children use TikTok to build social and cultural capital and shape relationships with peers.
The overarching findings highlight the importance of an approach that recognises both the opportunities and challenges of digital media, as well as children’s wider social, cultural and educational contexts. Specific recommendations include supporting informal learning, developing cross-contextual interventions, and involving children in the development of policies and interventions to ensure that these reflect their everyday experiences.
