MOBEYBOU & OUT

Summary

These projects aim to investigate (i) to which extent the use of a kit of innovative multimodal digital tools for the co-creation of cross-cultural narratives can promote the development of multiliteracies, collaboration skills, and intercultural sensitivity in Early Childhood, (ii) and how teachers/educators can support children in this learning. The tools have been developed in the Mobeybou (MBB) project, a funded R&D multidisciplinary project to fill the gap between current school practices and the skills and tools needed in the 21st century. While MBB developed innovative multimedia and digital tools for cross-cultural narrative creation, OUT aims to investigate its use and potential in Early Childhood Educational settings. The tools comprise a digital manipulative (DM) that uses physical blocks to manipulate the digital content, a story-maker replicating the DM environment (without the physical blocks), and a set of story apps. DMs are objects with embedded computational properties that allow manipulating digital content. Resulting from these projects, it is expected to gather a compilation of understandings and materials on (i) the potential of the tools and their interplay to foster the development of essential 21st-century learning and innovation skills in children, (ii) how children move towards intercultural sensitivity, (iii) and how educators can support children’s journey, identifying opportunities and challenges to provide effective and meaningful learning mediations, with renovated teaching practices. In sum, Mobeybou comprises a set of tools that aim to promote the development of cognitive, social and language skills within a multicultural framework. On the other hand, OUT investigates how the Mobeybou materials can promote the development of multiliteracies, collaboration skills, and intercultural sensitivity in Early Childhood and how teachers/educators can support children in this learning.