Using E-textiles to Design and Develop Educational Games for Preschool-aged Children

Abstract

This paper reports on the design and development of educational games and materials that utilize affordable e-textile technology. The researchers employed a design-based approach whereby preschool children used three e-textile materials in two cycles to inform on the development of interactive materials from ordinary objects and bodily interactive games. The study’s data were collected and analyzed according to the design-based research framework through iterative cycles of interviewing, video recording, and note-taking. The paper describes the characteristics, pros, and cons of e-textiles and what to consider when using them to create interactive educational materials for preschool-aged children.

Keywords

• e-textile
• wearable technology
• preschool education
• design-based research (dbr)
• executive functions