This is a new research initiative which explores the unique educational opportunities that technology has to offer children to experience science as enquiry. Early research in this area has focussed on the design of new technology to enhance the teaching and learning of difficult scientific concepts. The inclusion of key stakeholders from the educational community – children and teachers – throughout the design process is a key element of this research. The project focuses particularly on utilising the dynamic, tanigible and collaborative features of technology to enhance teaching and learning experiences.

The project is working towards building an understanding of the personal interests and experiences of children with the aim of designing appropriate, usable and, most importantly, inspirational educational technology. The project utilises probes as a new approach for exploring children’s interactions with the view of using the insight gained to inspire the design of new educational technologies. Probes are instruments that provide HCI researchers with the ability to gain glimpses into contextual interactions and culture. Not all interaction design techniques are appropriate when designing for children; the concept of using technology probes with children is exploring new opportunities as an alternative approach to more time-consuming and intrusive methods for gathering contextually-sensitive information.