Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Young Children and ICT

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Overview The Digital Divide Appropriate use of computers Inappropriate use of computers Software and website evaluation Principles of design tasks Presentation of design tasks created and developed by early childhood students

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT The Digital Divide Demographics Gender Race Social Class

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Division and the technologically disenfranchised Existing social divisions Creating new social divisions Particular groups increasingly excluded from everyday activities

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Demographics… Students in regional or remote areas are less likely to have access to computers and the internet to support their learning Schools and centres in some of these areas are less likely to have the budgets to accommodate the spiraling costs of technology hardware and software Services to such communities may not adequate

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Gender… Research indicates that pre-school boys and girls show equal interest in computers, but as they grow older girls spend less time with computers than do boys. Girls are using computers in and out of school less often than boys. Consider interests and interaction styles and offer times which permit girls to explore without directly competing with boys.

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Race… Indigenous students are less likely to have access to technology Technology can be used to affirm children’s diverse cultures, languages and ethnic heritages

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Social class… Economically disadvantaged students have less access to computers at home Educational settings need to provide these children in-school access that is meaningful, moving beyond drill-and- practice usage.

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT As early childhood educators We need to be aware of how children’s identities in terms of gender, social class and race are defined, accepted, reproduced as part of the organisation and use of ICT. Defining children as “geeks” or “nerds” may contribute to their social exclusion from their peer group relations.

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Appropriate use of computers Technology cannot and should not replace human interaction or relationships, or take the place of activities such as reading stories together or sharing conversations with children; Used properly computers and software can serve as catalysts for social interaction and conversations related to children’s work; A learning environment set up for encouraging interaction and the appropriate use of the technology will increase language and literacy development.

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT …(cont.) Computers are intrinsically motivating for young children and contribute to cognitive and social development; Computers can enhance children’s self-concept and improve their attitudes about learning; Children demonstrate increased levels of spoken communication and cooperation during computer use; Children share leadership roles on the computer and initiate interactions more frequently.

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Inappropriate use of computers… To add variety To reward Early finishers Drill and practice – predominates in pre school classrooms. Is not consistent with current guidelines. Possibility of loss of motivation and creativity following drill and practice.

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT What we do the most with computers is what research and the national guidelines say we should do the least.

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Selecting Software and Websites for Young Children

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Software and Website Selection Software and websites need to be carefully evaluated by teachers and adults to determine whether they are appropriate for young children.

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT The difficulty for teachers Appropriate activity choices are made in other areas of the curriculum but when it comes to computer based activities they fall short. Glitzy sites and software can be attractive and yet inadequate and inappropriate for the needs of young children

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Most teachers do not have the background to evaluate the appropriateness of software and websites. Teaching demands and access to computers means little time is allocated to previewing website to determine their suitability for young children.

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Evaluating Children’s Software and Web Sites Using an evaluation framework to determine appropriateness of software web sites is important for teachers. They provide a guide for determining what makes a site or software appropriate for the needs of the diversity in early childhood contexts ftware.html ftware.html

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Principles of design of ICT Tasks… The content must have integrity Is it reliable and reflect current practice? - Is the content balanced and present multiple perspectives relating to similar issues?

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT (cont.)… The purpose and structure of the content must be readily apparent and model rational learning processes: Establishing the purpose for the learner is an important factor in motivation The structure of the learning process must be made very clear

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT (cont.)… Learning tasks must accommodate the range of types of intellectual processing Include explanation, comprehension, open- ended learning

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Communication… The richest and most effective communication is generated from working together – literally through interaction

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT Assessment… Yes or no answers cannot judge the quality of a piece of writing Most important assessment processes are to be carried out by the teacher, the student and or his or her peers

Bronwyn Ewing School of Early Childhood QUT In conclusion… Encourage creativity Encourage diversity Regular testing and trialing must be a part of the development process and should occur, through observation of classroom use.