Engaging young children to �control� technology

This paper discusses how young children engage with �control� technology and in particular how do they attempt to control the behavior of physical and screen �robots�. Episodes of children-robot interactions are discussed based on data from a series of case studies where children with adults engage in specifically designed learning activities that aim to introduce young children to the basics of computer programming. The tools children use vary from the physical robot Roamer to the programming language scratch. The series of these case studies are connected with research and teaching as part of the Lab Unit on Mathematics Education and Learning Technologies where we attempt to develop methodologies for facilitating the use of technologies and mathematics in the early years for all children and their educators.