Researching platform use in families: an international methods workshop

'Researching platform use in families: an international methods workshop' took place in Oslo 2-4 May 2023. The thematic focus is about how contemporary families deal with digital transformations, with a special focus on digital platforms where different generations operate. The main objective was to bring together two international research initiatives to explore methodological challenges in studying families digital lives. One is a European project led by Professor Ola Erstad, University of Oslo, funded by the Norwegian Research Council and the CHANSE program (https://www.uv.uio.no/iped/english/research/projects/erstad-platforming-families/), the second a Centre of Excellence in Australia on the 'digital child' (https://www.digitalchild.org.au/). One sub-goal was to develop publication on methodological developments in this field, another to develop strategies together with user organizations on how to make connections between policy development and practice.

Vi har en internasjonal bok i prosess som samarbeid mellom de to fagmiljøene som deltok på workshoppen. Vi har nå fått en forlagsavtale med forlaget Palgrave i deres serie kalt Pivot. Det blir en Open Access bok som dekkes halvparten av senteret i Australia og halvparten av Institutt for Pedagogikk, UiO. Vi har fulgt opp med brukermiljøene som detok på møte/seminar i Deichman Bjørvika som del av workshoppen. For eksempel er Ola Erstad og Elisabeth Staksrud invitert til strategimøte I Kulturdepartmentet om 'digital motstandskraft' i januar 2024. Se ellers rapport vedlagt.

This project aims to organize an international workshop in Oslo that brings together two unique and innovative initiatives targeting a new and evolving field of research – on family life in the digital age. One a the European project, led by Professor Ola Erstad (UiO) called ‘Platforming Families: Tracing digital transformations in everyday life across generations (PlatFAMs)’ (see: https://www.uv.uio.no/iped/english/research/projects/erstad-platforming-families/), funded through the European CHANSE call, of which the Norwegian Research Council and the European Commission are providing the funds. with partners from Estonia, Romania, Catalonia/Spain, the UK and Norway. The other is a large scale Centre of Excellence in Australia called ‘Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child’ (see: https://www.digitalchild.org.au/), with a funding of more than 400 million Norwegian kroners and that will follow 3000 Australian families over an eight year period. Ola Erstad is an international partner in this Centre. This international workshop is innovative in exploring new methodological approaches to studying family life and the interrelationship between three generations in ways of dealing with digital developments of great concern for our societies in general. In bringing international experts together that are also doing empirical work in this area will be a unique opportunity to set an agenda on methodological issues and how this field of research is evolving. As part of the agenda we will also discuss perspectives of public outreach which is of great concern for both of these international initiatives.