Technology Play and Brain Development: Infancy to Adolescence and Future Implications

Technology Play and Brain Development brings together current research on play development, learning technology, and brain development. The authors first navigate the play technology and brain development interface, highlighting the interactive qualities that make up each component. Next, they survey the changes in play materials and the variations in time periods for play that have occurred over the past 15-20 years, and then explain how these changes have had the potential to affect this play/brain developmental interaction. The authors also cover various types of technology-augmented play materials used by children at age levels from infancy to adolescence, and describe the particular qualities that may enhance or change brain development. In so doing, they present information on previous and current studies of the play and technology interface, in addition to providing behavioral data collected from parents and children of varied ages related to their play with different types of play materials. Significantly, they discuss how such play may affect social, emotional, moral, and cognitive development, and review futurist predictions about the potential qualities of human behavior needed by generations to come. The authors conclude with advice to toy and game designers, parents, educators, and the wider community on ways to enhance the quality of technology-augmented play experiences so that play will continue to promote the development of human characteristics needed in the future.

Doris Bergen is Distinguished Professor Emerita at Miami University. Her research focuses on play theory, humor development, effects of technology-augmented play, and ERP effects during videogame play. As a child she preferred play with blocks, making "small worlds," and now she enjoys using her spatial skills to take down iPad block tower structures.

Darrel R. Davis is an Associate Professor at Miami University. His research interests include the effects of technology-related play and the use of technology in diverse educational settings. As a child he loved to play with action figures and toy vehicles and now prefers outdoor activities and participating in team sports.

Jason T. Abbitt is an Associate Professor at Miami University. He is an educator and researcher focused on helping educators use technology for teaching and learning. His favorite forms of play involve building and tinkering, from his use of Legos and Erector sets as a child to a focus on coding and microcontrollers today.