Grandparents and Grandchildren Meeting Online: The Role of Material Things in Remote Settings

Title of the Paper

Grandparents and Grandchildren Meeting Online: The Role of Material Things in Remote Settings

Bibliographic Information

• Subject Area: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Remote Interaction Design
• Keywords: Intergenerational relationships, online meetings, audiovisual communication, materiality, objects, space

Research Background and Problem Statement

• Problem Identification: Grandparents and grandchildren wish to maintain contact despite physical distance constraints, but existing audiovisual tools may fall short in meeting their needs, particularly in terms of interactivity and a sense of connection. The study reveals how "objects" and "spaces" become crucial elements in maintaining intergenerational relationships in remote settings.
• Significance: Intergenerational relationships hold special significance, and maintaining these connections is vital for the psychological well-being of both parties and the family network. In the context of the global pandemic, many families have had to rely on online tools for communication, making it socially significant to explore ways to optimize such interactions.
• Motivation and Related Work: Existing research rarely explores the role of non-human actors (such as objects or spaces) in remote communication. While there have been design attempts to enhance remote interaction through systems and devices, there is a lack of in-depth understanding of users' spontaneous creative practices.

Solution

• Method or Solution: The authors conducted a qualitative online survey (n=85) to investigate the intergenerational communication practices of grandparents and grandchildren under physical distance constraints. They then used Actor-Network Theory (ANT) as an analytical framework to explore the relationships between human and non-human actors and their distributed agency.
• Innovation: The study emphasizes the role of objects and spaces, uncovering the agency and influence of non-human actors in facilitating interaction. This approach goes beyond the traditional focus on device functionality, addressing the dynamic relationships among actors in complex networks.
• Implementation Steps and Key Techniques:
  • (1) Questionnaire Design: The questionnaire was divided into three thematic sections, covering remote communication content, the use of objects, and changes in connection.
  • (2) Data Collection: The survey was conducted using the GDPR-compliant online platform LimeSurvey.
  • (3) Data Analysis: Using Actor-Network Theory, the roles and influences of human and non-human actors were analyzed, and the transformation of meaning in objects and remote settings was extracted.

Research Findings

• Specific Findings:

  • Identified a variety of activities involved in remote meetings (e.g., conversations, showcasing objects, playing games together) and the roles of objects (e.g., toys, books, digital assignments) and spaces (e.g., rooms, gardens) in these activities.
  • Explained how non-human actors serve as "mediators" and "intermediaries" in remote meetings, influencing the interaction experience.
  • Discovered new practices emerging during online interactions and how these practices persist even after physical meetings resume.
  • Highlighted the limitations of online meetings, such as the lack of physical contact and emotional depth.

• Advantages Over Existing Solutions:

  • Offers a new perspective on "objects" and "spaces" in remote settings, complementing existing technology designs that often overlook user behavior and creative practices.
  • Emphasizes users' spontaneous participation and personalized practices, rather than being confined to system-defined functions and activities.

• Experimental or Evaluation Results:

  • Numerous user practices demonstrated the deep integration and importance of objects in remote interactions, such as using toys to capture grandchildren's attention or using digital assignments to support joint learning.
  • The dynamic interplay between human and non-human actors fostered creativity and interactivity in online meetings, with some practices continuing to influence in-person meetings post-pandemic.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  • Limitations: The data primarily comes from Austria, with the majority of participants being grandparents (68 responses), while grandchildren were underrepresented (17 responses), leading to an uneven distribution of participant groups. Additionally, the study relies on subjective self-reports, making it difficult to quantify results or generalize across all cultural contexts.
  • Future Directions: Explore remote interaction practices across more diverse cultural groups; further investigate how objects and spaces create long-term intergenerational connections, and design hybrid interaction technologies to support such connections.

Design Sensitivities and Insights

1. Temporal Trajectories: Design should consider how objects traverse online and offline environments and how they become significant in relationships over time.
2. Spatial Trajectories: Research and design could explore dynamic spatial configurations, enabling online meetings to extend beyond fixed locations and integrate seamlessly into everyday family environments.
3. Agency: Design should focus on the role interchange between human and non-human actors, creating new experiences and unique scenarios.
4. Ongoing Negotiation: Research and design need to embrace the instability of practices, supporting the evolving and negotiated nature of online relationships.
5. "Alternative" Meetings: Design should not merely aim to replicate physical meetings but explore innovative and hybrid forms of "other" meetings, creating novel interaction experiences for different generations.