Clay, cardboard, and cameras: playing in a media arts environment

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study explores how play informs the making process in a media arts environment. Drawing on Dewey’s ([1938]1998). Concepts of experience, purpose, and freedom, we explore how play and making are employed in an out-of-school media arts environment. The purpose of this study is to examine one child’s use of digital media in this media arts environment. We chronologically unfold one child’s experience, which provides a more nuanced description of interactions with and use of the space, tools, and people – without the distraction of additional participants. The decision to examine one child, one environment eliminates the tendency to compare and contrast children and/or environments, allowing us to appreciate one child’s playing and making with digital tools and physical materials in this media arts environment. This study is important as it leads us to questions to guide future research related to digital media as an appropriate tool for young children to play and make with – especially when employed in a media arts environment.

KEYWORDS:

• Play
• media arts
• digital media
• young children
• media arts environments

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Michael McMullen Photography Fellowship; Daisy Jones Grant; and Individual Development Account. Preparing for Future Research via Conferences and Community Involvement. State of Indiana Individual Development Account; Indiana University’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction