Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Early Education

Why ? ICT is part of a child’s life in the 21 st century – early years education should reflect this ICT can enhance learning in imaginative ways – it is fun ICT can be used to deliver many aspects of curriculum in an integrated way

find out about and identify the uses of technology in their everyday lives use computers to support their learning use programmable toys to support their learning From the National Curriculum Early Learning Goals for England, 1999 Children should be encouraged to :

The ICT curriculum should have three separate strands 1.To develop an ‘emergent technological literacy’ and children’s understanding of the uses of ICT 2.To develop children’s practical capability with the tools that ICT offers 3.To integrate ICT fully into a range of teaching topics

What does ICT offer ? Appropriate ICT can engage children in purposeful and exploratory play. It can encourage :  Discussion  Creativity  Problem solving  Risk taking  Flexible thinking

Factors to consider ICT does not have to be computer- based in the early years More effective practice is achieved if all staff are involved and so professional development is important

Emergent ICT Education:...just as advocates of emergent literacy have encouraged ‘mark making’ as a natural prelude to writing, so we encourage children to apply ICT tools for their own purposes in their play as a natural prelude to formal Information and communications technology education in the school.

Guidance for Appropriate Technology Education in Early Childhood Identifying good ICT practice: Applications should be educational Encouraging collaboration Integration and play through ICT The child should be in control Applications should be transparent and intuitive Applications should not contain violence or stereotyping Awareness of health and safety issues Educational involvement of parents