The Current State of Child-Centered HCI
Think about the most ground-breaking recent trends in technology. Buzz words such as “AI” and “prompt engineering” pop up everywhere. However, most of these recent trends are exclusive of a specific demographic–our youth. Not many platforms are centered around our younger, growing generations. Off the top of my head, we have children’s games, beginner level robotics/coding applications such as Scratch, and educational apps such as Kahoot.
In this era of technology, children are becoming more and more of an afterthought. Rather than creating products that are meant for them, parental controls are slapped onto preexisting (adult-centered) applications, in a feeble attempt to make them “youth friendly”. Is this really the right thing to do though? The world is changing more rapidly than ever and we must prepare our youth for a future that is more technologically advanced than ever before. They will inevitably be exposed to technology early in their lives; it'll play an essential role in shaping how they grow, learn, and see the world. So, it is important that these technologies are intuitive, safe, healthy, and beneficial towards the children.
As for my personal background, I've always loved working with children. I grew up with an adorable little brother, younger cousins, and a loving family that fostered an amazing childhood for me. I’m only 22 and fresh out of college, but throughout my life, I have tried to spread this philosophy. During my time in high school, I tutored younger kids in art and also volunteered for 4 years at the Academy of Music and Arts for Special Education, a program that fosters community for youth and adults with intellectual disabilities through music and art education. I entered college in 2021 as a design major, thinking that I would pursue a career purely centered around the arts. Out of curiosity, I decided to take an introduction to computer science course that first semester, and from there, my interest in technology snowballed until I eventually changed my major in design to computer science. Now, I wish to explore how technology can be better shaped to be intuitive for children to use, utilizing my unique skillset as an engineer holding the creative lens of an artist.
So what can we do for children to uplift their voices and perspectives in this chaotic uprising of technology? Drawing from my experience working with children and my technical background, I believe the solution lies in treating kids as creative collaborators–and not passive consumers. Children have an innate curiosity and problem solving ability that adults often underestimate. When we create technologies that harness this creativity—tools that let them build, experiment, and express themselves—we're not just making better products; we're fostering the next generation of thoughtful technologists.
