Presenter Information
Emma Polen
McAnulty College of and Graduate School of Liberal Arts
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in an unprecedented period of online communication among children. This paper aims to exemplify how the reliance on digital communication platforms compelled by COVID-19 affected elementary students’ use of language. Within the study, children used primarily visual language on digital sites with friends. There were two main forms of primary research in this study. The first consisted of a survey of 16 parents of elementary school children in my school district. The second was an observation of Zoom chat room activity among three eight-year-olds. Both methods of conducting research build on the existing understanding that digital sites provide a new and versatile method of communication among young children (Yamada-Rice 2010, p.341-361). The results of this study apply to education. Traditional models of textually presenting information to elementary students are not representative of their typical communication habits online.
School
McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts
Advisor
Dr. James Purdy Ph.D.
Submission Type
Paper
Publication Date
April 2021
Included in
Communication Technology and New Media Commons, Digital Humanities Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons, Language Interpretation and Translation Commons, Linguistics Commons, Other English Language and Literature Commons, Psychology Commons, Reading and Language Commons
Effect of COVID-19 on Elementary Students' Use of Language Online
The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in an unprecedented period of online communication among children. This paper aims to exemplify how the reliance on digital communication platforms compelled by COVID-19 affected elementary students’ use of language. Within the study, children used primarily visual language on digital sites with friends. There were two main forms of primary research in this study. The first consisted of a survey of 16 parents of elementary school children in my school district. The second was an observation of Zoom chat room activity among three eight-year-olds. Both methods of conducting research build on the existing understanding that digital sites provide a new and versatile method of communication among young children (Yamada-Rice 2010, p.341-361). The results of this study apply to education. Traditional models of textually presenting information to elementary students are not representative of their typical communication habits online.