Teale, W. H. (2015, May). Digital Technologies and Literacy Learning: What Do We Know about What Works—And What Doesn’t? (original) (raw)

Technology and literacy in early childhood educational settings: A review of research

This literature review provides an overview of research into technology and literacy for children aged 0–8 in educational settings from 2003–2009. The article begins by exploring the different assumptions about the role of digital texts that underpin the studies considered, identifying three loose categories of studies which position technology as: deliverer of literacy; site for interaction around texts; and medium for meaning-making. Following this, aspects of actor-network theory (Latour, 2005) are used to consider other ways that technology and children may be 'acting upon' literacy in educational settings through recontexualizing meanings from other domains. The article concludes by arguing that there is a need for more extensive exploratory research in this field, which considers how digital practices within educational settings relate to other dimensions of children's literacy learning, in order to better understand how new technologies are and could be contributing to children's literacy within educational settings. It suggests that actor-network theory may offer a way of conceptualizing young children's engagement with digital texts in new ways.

Impact of Digital Technology on Preschoolers : A Review

International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology, 2021

This paper shows how the advent of digital technologies is driving a reconceptualization of the underlying assumptions of innovation policy. There is conclusive evidence that digital equipment, tools and resources can, where effectively used, raise the speed and depth of learning for preschoolers. There is indicative evidence that the same can be said for some aspects of literacy, especially writing and comprehension. Digital technologies and electronic media devices appear to be appropriate means to improve basic literacy and social skills, especially in primary settings. The level of impact is generally similar to other changes to pedagogies which are effective in raising attainment although the use of digital learning has other benefits. Additionally, the extent of the effect may be influenced by the level of capability of teachers to use digital learning tools and resources effectively to achieve improved learning outcomes.

Using Technology To Enhance Literacy in Elementary School Children

1998

The electronic information age is here, and adults as well as children are using new ways to gather and generate information. Electronics users are writing in hypertext; exploring cyberspace; living in virtual communities; scooping interactively with CD-ROMs and laserdiscs; using File Transfer Protocols to upload and download information from around the world; communicating asynchronously using e-mail; and surfing the Internet. This paper describes elementary school children using technology to explore cyberspace and to communicate with others via e-mail, with enhanced literacy as an important outgrowth. This naturalistic study of elementary school children using computers and telecommunications highlights: (1) the journeys of several third graders from nonreaders to researchers, and (2) the electronic interactions of two fourth graders. Observations, interviews, and review of documents provided insights into how technology and the Internet can become highways to enhanced literacy.

The Influence of Young Children's Use of Technology on Their Learning: A Review

This study aimed to conduct a systematic literature review on empirical studies of how technologies influence young children's learning. Eighty-seven articles published between 2003 and 2013 were identified through the Web of Science database. We employed content analysis to identify the research trends of this topic. " Technology evaluation, " " adults' roles, " and " teaching approaches " are three emerging research themes during 2008-2013. About one-third of the studies involved children who were from immigrant or low socioeconomic status families, or had special needs. The majority of the reviewed studies revealed that the technologies had positive effects on children's performance across developmental domains. Particularly, in social domain, most studies showed that technologies enhanced children's collaboration and interaction with others and their development of multiculturalism. We also propose a typology for conceptualizing the complexity of the relationships between technology use and children's learning. We argue that children's learning with technology is conditioned by several factors categorized into children, adults, and technology aspects. Moreover, a trend of examining children's development of digital literacy emerged, involving investigation of the skills needed for and perceptions of technology use. Lastly, while most studies viewed children as consumers of technology, their role as creators has been understudied and deserves more research attention.

The Impact of Technology on Early Childhood Education

This research looks at the impact of electronic devices on early childhood learning. Do electronic devices inhibit or promote children's learning of basic reading, writing, math, and critical thinking skills. With the proliferation of electronic and digital devices in everyday life, children are provided electronic devices at very early ages. Parents and caregivers need to know the impact these devices and technologies may have on children's learning and development. They need to understand which applications and devices support childhood literacy and promote learning. Research has shown that children's educational development is greater when teachers, parents and other caregivers guide their use of electronic devices and digital technology. The researcher performed a literature review on studies and projects related to the use of technology for educational purposes. The research included in this work explores literacy facts in America.

Investigating children's emerging digital literacies

The Journal of Technology, …, 2002

Departing from the view that the digital divide is a technical issue, the EDC Center for Children and Technology (CCT) and Computers for Youth (CFY) have completed a ı-year comparative study of children's use of computers in low-and middle-income homes. To assess emerging digital literacy skills at home, we define digital literacy as a set of habits through which children use computer technology for learning, work, socializing, and fun. Our findings indicate that both groups of children used the computer to do schoolwork. Many children with leisure time at home also spent 2 to 3 hours a day communicating with peers, playing games, and pursuing creative hobbies. When solving technical problems, the children from low-income homes relied more on formal help providers such as CFY and schoolteachers, while the children from middle-income homes turned to themselves, their families, and their peers. All the children developed basic literacy with word processing, email, and the Web. Not surprisingly, those children who spent considerably more time online developed more robust skills in online communication and authoring. The results also show that children's digital literacy skills are emerging in ways that reflect local circumstances, such as the length of time children had a computer at home; the family's ability to purchase stable Internet connectivity; the number of computers in the home and where they are located (bedroom or public area); parents' attitudes toward computer use; parents' own experience and skills with computers; children's leisure time at home; the computing habits of children's peers; the technical expertise of friends, relatives, and neighbors; homework assignments; and the direct instruction provided by teachers in the classroom. The findings highlight issues impacting social, school, and assessment policy and practice. Specifically, these results have implications for local educational systems interested in developing digital literacy assessment instruments that demonstrate progress as well as specific areas that need improvement. The digital literacy analysis model developed in this study affords teachers opportunities to start to construct activities based on 5 central digital literacy components: computing for a range of purpose, understanding the function of and ability to use common tools, communication literacy, Web literacy, and troubleshooting skills. These activities can help teachers scaffold for their students and themselves the range of digital literacy proficiency skills, that is, their proficiency in using common tools as well as their use of different communications and Web tools. However, when it comes to large-scale assessments of digital literacy of teachers and students at the national and federal levels, the use of the digital literacy analysis model outlined in this study would be operationally and financially impractical. The field urgently needs to develop valid methods and instruments of assessment that help aggregate state and federal data as schools and districts at the local level acquire more and more technology. These methods and measurement instruments are likely to include surveys, e-readiness assessment tools, multiple-choice tests, pre-and post-tests, etc., that can measure individual as well as group progress in digital literacy.

Young children’s digital literacy practices in the home

Routledge eBooks, 2019

This chapter summarises research knowledge on young children's digital literacy practices in homes and proposes future directions. We build upon findings from our earlier review of research published 2005-15 (Kumpulainen & Gillen, 2017), exploring research published 2016-17. Our analyses are informed by Green's (1988) 3D model of literacy. Three themes are identified: parental mediation of children's digital literacy practices in homes; children'smedia engagement and literacy learning in homes; and Home-school knowledge exchange of children's digital literacy practices.

Children under five and digital technologies: implications for early years pedagogy

This project aimed to investigate the types of digital technologies children under the age of five are using at home and assess the possible implications for early years pedagogy. The research, carried out between 2010 and 2012, was based in four European countries: England, Greece, Malta and Luxemburg. A mixed methods approach was employed to investigate what types of digital technologies were used by children under five years of age in their households and parental attitudes towards the use of these technologies. The project was developed into three stages. In the first instance data was collected from focus groups with the families to indicate what digital technologies are used in the households. In the second instance a questionnaire was designed for and completed by parents and children aged from birth to five years in order to reveal the extent to which children were making use of those technologies in the home. Subsequent to the analysis of the questionnaires, a further series of interviews were conducted with focus groups of parents and children to investigate their views in relation to the use of the digital technologies. Analysis of the data from the questionnaire revealed that children under five are heavy users of a number of digital technologies at home. Analysis of the qualitative data emerging from the interviews suggested that children are 'digitally fluent from a very young age'. One of the key findings was that parents felt that their definition of an illiterate person no longer corresponded to the traditional view of someone who cannot read and write, but rather was considered as a person who cannot learn, unlearn, relearn and use digital technologies as part of their everyday lives. Firstly, this project concluded, therefore, that there should be a re-conceptualisation of young children's learning in early years pedagogy and early childhood settings as children under five are engaging with digital technologies in playing and learning at home and this cannot be overlooked by early years education. Secondly, it is suggested that in today's world of digital technologies early years educators should re-examine the way children learn and the way in which the early years workforce organise their learning environments.