The development of a pilot tool for examining engagement and involvement in screen-based activities in the early years

In my context statement, I describe the process of building an assessment research tool for observing young children’s media interaction born out of a need to acquire unbiased information that better informs the TV production process. Building on the work of Mihaly Csikszentimihalyi (1991), and Ferre Leavers (1994) regarding scales of involvement and engagement, I draw together results from my own research with young children and offer a description of a pilot research tool for further refinement. Production of my own films and documents are cited as primary source evidence and as a way of offering a significant contribution to this body of knowledge: the possibility of a more reliable measurement of how children respond to television/screens in terms of engagement and levels of involvement. In tandem, I propose the emergence of a unique model of play: Immersive Digital Play (IDP) based on schematic movements that provide a backdrop to the pilot tool. I offer insights into how young children experience digital screen narratives through a moment-by-moment process, and suggest, therefore, that a methodological tool for research needs to probe and examine that experience for levels of engagement and involvement. Furthermore, I propose that young children (and their parents) have a right to involvement and participation in the development of any media narrative and application for consumption. Finally, it is proposed that the pilot tool and analysis will elucidate potential outcome measures for the continued study of media.