Using PictoChat on the Nintendo DS to Develop Children’s Exploratory Talk through Productive Learning Conversations during Collaborative Group Work

This paper examines the results of a small-scale research project that combined the online wireless chat facility of the Nintendo DS console with classroom activities in a project designed to enhance the exploratory talk of learners by modeling effective dialogues for collaborative enquiry within problem solving activities and group work in a British Primary School. Using an action research approach, the research presented here details a range of factors relating to the use of technology to develop learner talk by using the DS console for wireless chat to support learning in the classroom. It presents learner voice extracts, results of a background survey, and excerpts from a research lesson study program. Finally, this paper gives insights into the learning status of the technology itself (Hadfield, Jopling, Royle, & Southern, 2009), its potential impact in promoting teacher agency in curriculum change, and children’s perspectives on its use.