Fiona Scott

Dr. Fiona Scott is a Senior Lecturer in Digital Literacies at the University of Sheffield's School of Education, specializing in children's digital lives within family and community contexts. Her research examines digital technology engagements, social class influences, and digital play-wellbeing relationships through collaborations with UNICEF Innocenti, LEGO Foundation, and CBeebies. As Editor of the Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, she bridges academic research with public discourse through BBC media appearances and The Conversation articles.

Research Focus

Scott's work centers on digital literacies in early childhood, emphasizing ecological perspectives on children's technology use across diverse socioeconomic contexts. Her PhD with CBeebies analyzed preschoolers' home media engagements, evolving into current leadership of the multinational 'Responsible Innovation in Technology for Children' project investigating digital play and subjective well-being. She pioneers more-than-human research methodologies while examining digital inequalities, pandemic impacts on family media practices, and cross-cultural technology access.

Scholarly Contributions

Her recent publications (2020-2025) reveal converging themes: digital play's dual role in child development and well-being, socioeconomic mediators of technology access, and innovative research methods for studying children in disrupted environments. Work with LEGO Foundation and UNICEF highlights policy-relevant insights into ethical digital design for children, while pandemic-era studies document evolving family media practices and parental mediation strategies across global contexts.

Academic Leadership

• Principal Investigator: Responsible Innovation in Technology for Children (LEGO Foundation/UNICEF)
• Co-Developer: MA Digital Literacies, Culture and Education curriculum
• Editorial Leadership: Journal of Early Childhood Literacy; Media Education Research Journal

Teaching and Supervision

Scott teaches across BA Education, Culture and Childhood; MA Education; MA Early Childhood Education (Distance); and MA Digital Literacies programs. Her doctoral supervision spans children's YouTube use, digital technologies in Chinese early childhood settings, and teacher digital literacies. She actively recruits PhD/EdD candidates researching digital lives of children aged 0-8, with focus areas including family mediation, practitioner attitudes, and diversity in digital practices across geographic and socioeconomic contexts.