The Children and Technology Lab (@chatlabuk), headed by Nicola Yuill, is part of the Developmental Psychology Research Group.

We are interested in how technology can be used to understand and support children working and playing together, at school and at home, in typical and atypical development, with peers, with parents and with teachers. The lab also co-coordinates ACoRNS - Autism Community Research Network Sussex (@acornsussex).

An underlying theme of our work is the role of social interaction and collaboration in learning and development. How do interactions between peers support learning? How do parents scaffold children's learning at home? What role does technology play in supporting children's collaborative play and learning? And how might developmentally-appropriate technology be used creatively and innovatively to support these interactions?

Recent and current projects

Zoom or Room comparing in-person and online therapeutic conversations

Our Stories @acornsussex with @acornsoton: co-developing digital stories supporting transitions in autism

ACoRNS Autism Community Research Network Sussex

Other sites showcasing some of our related, and earlier, work:

Digital Bubbles seminars:  these inspired a special issue of an autism journal

Scaffolding seminar: special issue of British Journal of Educational Psychology

The Wechat project on conversation in autism

Find out more about the ChatLab by watching this Science Uncovered video.

Kane Steggles and Zoe Hopkins

We keep in touch with our Nuffield bursary students, such as Kane Steggles, whose paper on language alignment was accepted for the finals of the National Science and Engineering Competition. 

Research from the ChatLab showing how technology engages children’s attention and makes them more co-operative is discussed in a free-to-view Frontiers article and in an edition of Wired. 

 For recent events follow us on twitter @chatlabuk