This paper investigates dialogic learning as a pedagogical lens for designing tools that support critical data literacy (CDL) in K-12 education. We present a research-through-design (RtD) project conducted with three teachers to operationalize dialogic learning in design. The resulting prototype, Datafy, enables students to produce and analyze personally meaningful music data and co-create playlists, fostering critical reflection and dialogue around data practices. Through a classroom observation with 40 sixth-grade students, we show how the tool shaped learners’ collaborative exploration and construction of knowledge about data. We contribute a theoretical framework and an empirical case study of embedding dialogic learning in the design of CDL technologies that promote dialogue and critical engagement with data. We recommend: (1) anchoring co-design with teachers in learning activities and learning goals, (2) designing diverse opportunities for dialogue about critical data literacy, and (3) treating dialogue linked to learning goals as design evidence for tool evaluation.

In response to the evolving digitized society, it is crucial to equip children with essential skills for critically and reflectively navigating this environment. Child-Computer Interaction (CCI) researchers have established rich research to advance educational practices and technology development for computational thinking education and introduced a new concept of computational empowerment. However, the absence of effective formative assessment in the research and practices within computational education hinders the facilitation of continuous learning and the enhancement of computational empowerment. Considering this, this doctoral study will explore the core research question of how to develop formative assessment strategies for computational empowerment through the lens of dialogic learning. The research aims to conceptualize a research-based formative assessment model for educators, formative assessment design principles for computational education toolkits and provide instances through illustrative case studies. The study includes literature reviews, learning intervention case studies and participatory design workshops, stimulating discussions and innovative formative assessment strategies for computational empowerment within the CCI community and among practitioners. This doctoral study addresses the need for effective formative assessment in computational education to understand learning, foster learning and enhance computational empowerment in wider implementation. The practical research outcomes will benefit toolkit designers and educators, while the theoretical contributions aim to fill gaps of formative assessment in CCI research and pedagogies, advancing the broader landscape of computational education.

Emotion Explorers is an AI system that assists 6-11-year-old children to understand emotions, aims to have a long-lasting impact on children's emotional behaviors, and creates a compassionate, connected, safe environment. The system can be integrated into smart devices, such as bracelets and plushies for children, and mobile applications for parents and teachers. Emotion Explorers interacts with children through a digital voice assistant named Zen, facilitating children's emotional awareness and emotional behaviors through dialogues about emotions. It detects child users’ emotions through verbal content and heartbeat rates and provides emotional support accordingly. It helps children verbalize their feelings, normalize emotional communication, understand others’ feelings, and show kindness to create a compassionate environment. In addition, Emotion Explorers provides adults with analyses of the emotional status of children. This way, adults are aware of children's mental status and can provide better emotional support. The goal is to develop children's emotional awareness, communication of emotions, and kind behaviors through a longitudinal and sustainable approach.

Through an exploratory study of a 6-year-old child and his parents, we explored the complexities of children's affective learning experience with tangible programming games, specifically focusing on the impact of scaffolding dialogues and social-emotional support. The social dialogues from this exploratory study demonstrate the interactive reasoning process in computational thinking (CT) education and reveal that dialogic learning has the potential to promote learning emotions and CT skills development in CT education. This study thus points to the future Child-Computer Interaction (CCI) research agenda that considers social dialogues in CT education with tangible play. A new understanding of social dialogues in CT toys and CT education can provide educators and CCI researchers with socio-technical insights into the future educational practices and design of CT games and technology for young children.