A framework for characterising and capturing the quality of digital interactions and experiences in early childhood education

Abstract Understanding what constitutes quality in digital interactions within Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings has become paramount in an increasingly technology‐enabled world. This imperative has grown, with diverse ingrained positions about the role of digital technology in ECEC, and limited evidence and guidance to support beneficial educator use with young children. This study introduces a Digital Interactions Quality (DigIQ) framework and scale as a protocol to observe and index the quality of interactions and experiences that involve digital technologies with children in ECEC settings. Informed by established frameworks for observation that are rendered into quality ratings, this research introduces a scale that considers children's interests and agency, opportunities for engagement, interactions and conversations, and digital transformations of play and learning. To evaluate this scale we conducted observations in 50 pre‐school classrooms, guided by the DigIQ and Sustained Shared Thinking and Emotional Well‐being scales, supplemented by in‐depth field notes to characterise the range of current digital practices. By characterising and capturing the multifaceted nature of ECEC practice quality when digital technologies are involved, this framework aims to support educators, policymakers and researchers in making informed decisions about digital integration in ECEC. The study underscores the need for differentiation in understanding quality in digital contexts to ensure use of digital technology serves as a meaningful extension and transformation to what traditional early childhood education practices already offer to children's outcomes.