Parent-Child Interaction in Children's Learning How to Use a New Application

This study investigated how parents support their children when they are learning how to use a new application in a situation where the parents do not have any practical knowledge of it and how parental support influences the children's learning. Eleven pairs of parents and children (aged 4-10 years) used a scrapbook calendar application in workshop. We conducted analyses on the application logs, the questionnaire data, and the recorded conversations. The results revealed that there were three different types of groups, the child-led operation group (parents orally supported children based on their prior knowledge and deductions), the parent-led operation group (parents let children participate in operations intermittently), and the leader-led operation group (parents transferred the operation from themselves to children). The children in the child-led and the leader-led operation groups were successful in using the application. Moreover, the children in the child-led operation group were highly motivated to use the application, and in contrast, the children in the parent-led and the leader-led operation groups were less motivated. Based on the results, the application to tutoring systems is discussed.