Information and Communications Technologies in Pre-school settings: a review of the literature

This article reviews the research evidence that relates to the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in pre-school settings. While there is widespread agreement that children should be helped to become confident users of ICT the literature presents a more qualified picture of potential benefits and barriers. The review considers the polarised debate about whether computer use is desirable for young children; the position of ICT as one element in the multi-media mix experienced by children; evidence available about current ICT provision and practice in pre-school settings in the UK and perspectives on the contribution that ICT makes to learning. The need for adults and children to acquire ICT literacy skills is identified, along with a requirement that practitioners should be equipped to make appropriate resource choices. The way in which ICT can play a compensatory and engaging role or further entrench disadvantage (‘the digital divide’) is discussed. The review concludes that the pedagogical imperative must remain with practitioners

Temporal issues in e-learning research: A literature review

Time is a critical factor in learning, but time is also a very complicated factor that has many facets. Time can be as follows: time needed to prepare a course or lesson (ie, for the instructor to gather materials and design/develop a course or lesson), time needed to follow a course or lesson (ie, the planned, nominal study time that the institution allots for the learner in minutes and/or hours per day or the number of weeks per semester/year that the course encompasses), lifetime of a course (ie, how long a course can be used before it needs to be revised and/or is out of date), time that a student needs for study (ie, both in and out of class), time that an instructor needs and/or uses to teach a course (ie, the number of hours per day both during and beyond the “school” day for preparation, correction, feedback and marking of products and exams), “transaction” time costs (eg, the amount of travel time needed to attend a course or to log into an online course) and even time that a learner can make effective use of the knowledge gained (ie, half-life of the information in a course). Time can also be seen as an effectiveness factor (ie, the amount learned in a specific time period; learning more in the same time period is more effective learning) and/or efficiency factor (ie, the amount of time needed to learn something; learning the same amount in less time is more efficient learning). Time can, finally, be seen as a solitary factor or as part of a temporal pattern inwhich other factors play a role such aswork time, family time, down time, etc

Використання інформаційно-комунікаційних технологій у початковій освіті зарубіжжя як нова вимога сучасності

У статті наголошується на доцільності і важливості впровадження інформаційно-комунікаційних технологій (ІКТ) у початкову школу з дидактичною метою. Відображено можливі форми роботи з ІКТ та їх переваги. Проаналізовано основні проблеми і загрози, що виникають у процесі застосування ІКТ в початкових класах.В статье подчеркивается целесообразность и важность внедрения информационно-коммуникационных технологий (ИКТ) в начальную школу с дидактической целью. Отображены возможные формы работы с ИКТ и их преимущества. Проанализированы основные проблемы и угрозы, возникающие в процессе применения ИКТ в начальных классах.The article stresses on the usefulness and importance of using of information and communication technologies (ICT) in elementary school with a didactic purpose. Possible forms of ICT and its benefits are shown. The main challenges and threats posed by the application of ICT in primary schools are analyzed

The Role of the Internet in the Primary School Classroom: From a learning and teaching perspective

Computer related technology is increasingly used in society today, and has influenced in various ways on classrooms across the world. In New South Wales, Australia, there has been an increasing emphasis on teaching using information and communication technology (ICT), and in particular the Internet. This study has investigated how the Internet was used to support teaching and learning in primary school classrooms. Case study methodology was used for the study to provide an in-depth view of how some teachers have integrated the use of the Internet into their classroom teaching and learning activities. Data for this study were collected from four public primary schools in New South Wales, during one ten week school term. The study found that while all of the teachers used the Internet to some degree to support teaching and learning activities in the classroom this was done in various ways and with varying success. In particular, ICT infrastructure, access, and use varied between classes and schools. Also of importance were the pedagogical aspects of integrating Internet technology into the classroom teaching program. ISBN: 978-3-639-04504-

Szanse i zagrożenia w obszarze wykorzystania technologii informacyjno-komunikacyjnych (TIK), ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem aplikacji mobilnych (TIK-mobApp) przez dzieci w wieku 3-6 lat

Analizując literaturę dotyczącą korzyści i ryzyk związanych z użytkowaniem TIK przez najmłodszych można odnieść wrażenie, że mamy do czynienia ze sprzecznymi przekonaniami i danymi. Od bardzo entuzjastycznych tekstów dotyczących korzyści po bardzo pesymistyczne wskazujące same ryzyka. Wydaje się jednak, że nie ma tu sprzeczności. Zwykle jest bowiem tak, że to nie same instrumenty TIK, lecz sposób ich stosowania i poziom dopasowania do potrzeb rozwojowych dziecka decyduje o ich korzystnym lub niekorzystnym wpływie. Bardzo często nie tyle ważny jest instrument TIK i jego właściwości, a zawartość edukacyjna materiałów. Raport ten przygotowywany jest pod kątem konstrukcji katalogu bezpiecznych aplikacji mobilnych – jednak wiele ustaleń literaturowych dotyczących szans i zagrożeń – odnosi się do szerszego zakresu wykorzystania instrumentów TIK przez dzieci w wieku przedszkolnym

Meaning and medium in young children's picture-making

Picture-making has a special role in early childhood. It is an activity that bridges the young child’s sensory exploration of the world around them and their later engagement with graphic symbolic practices. Psychological and sociological studies have focused on young children’s pictures as both subjects of and tools in research. Yet these studies have conceptualized picture-making almost exclusively as a practice that occurs on paper using pencils, felt-tip pens or crayons as inscription devices. Despite the increasing presence of screen media in children’s lives, very little research has explored the influence that the screen medium has on picture-making and any similarities and differences that exist between picture-making on paper and on screen. Furthermore, almost no research has examined how key members in the ‘interpretive community’ (Fish, 1980) of early years education conceptualize and construct screen picture-making, or how children enact this activity in the naturalistic environment of the free-flowing early years classroom. The present research addressed these issues using a social semiotic approach in designing and conducting three related studies on screen picture-making. In the first study, 36 children were observed as they made pictures either on paper or on screen. Through the resulting comparisons, various material and social affordances of screen picturemaking were identified as having an influence on the processes and products of picture-making. In order to determine whether these affordances were equally applicable in everyday contexts, an observational study of screen picture-making in the early years classroom was conducted. The findings from that study provided further evidence of the importance of the affordances identified in the previous study, but also demonstrated the extent to which social interactions shape how the activity of screen picture-making is enacted. To explore this further, six practitioners were interviewed about their attitudes towards screen picture-making and the learning it entails. Their responses revealed the relationships between their perceptions of the activity and the way it was implemented and constructed in the classrooms where they work. Collectively, the findings from these studies demonstrate the importance of considering both the material and social aspects of the affordances of the screen medium and how these influence the expression of meaning through picture-making. Four key material properties of screen picture-making were seen to influence how children made pictures: abundance, rapidity, referential rule-breaking, and mouse manipulation. These properties need to be taken into account when determining the opportunities for early years learning presented by screen picture-making. Moreover, the research findings highlight the extent to which the construction of screen picture-making is the work of an ‘interpretive community’ surrounding each child. Thus, screen picture-making in the early years is best thought of as a social project, which unfolds according to the decisions made by those in the classroom. Through understanding the activity in this way, practitioners and children are empowered to discuss and decide how screen picturemaking should be integrated into the early years classroom and what new opportunities it should offer in the expression and construction of meaning

Enhancing the Impact of Investments in 'Educational' ICT

There has been a substantial level of investment in ICT in education over the last thirty years, but it has failed to have a proportionately large impact on learning. The purpose of this research was to identify ways of enhancing the impact of future investments in ICT in education. A proposition about one way to do this emerged from the literature. Empirical examination of this proposition highlighted deficiencies in the model and suggested that developing a framework for describing computer use in education would be a more productive approach. Existing frameworks were examined in the light of the data from the first three case studies, revealing significant weaknesses with them. This analysis resulted in the development of a set of criteria for evaluating frameworks for describing computer use in education. A new framework, the Computer Practice Framework (CPF), was then devised, based on key dimensions evident within the first three case studies. The CPF was evaluated against the criteria through further fieldwork in schools and higher education. This led to the refinement of the CPF and indicated that using it as a conceptual framework for thinking about computer use in education could help to create shared visions of the purposes underpinning investments in computer use in education. Using the CPF to support vision building, school development, curriculum planning, communication and shared understandings can enhance the likelihood of such investments having their intended impacts. The development of the CPF thus represents an original contribution to the field, which has the potential to enhance the impact of investments in ICT in education

ICT in primary education: A perspective study into the use and selection procedures of software designed to support the development of basic literacy skills for able and less able pupils (KS1)

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.The British government is heavily committed to successfully applying technology in primary education through a series of expensive initiatives stressing the importance of technology in teaching across the curriculum and the belief that technology can contribute to pupils' academic achievement. One would assume that educators use it regularly in their classrooms in the subject of basic literacy. One of the factors that may impede the use of technology in teaching is the good quality software. There are numerous software available but of poor quality. Unfortunately, no criteria are available for teachers to select computer packages. Pupils' contribution to designing software is highly recommended but their views have been ignored in relation to what elements should be included in computer packages. This study was set: a) To explore the use and selection procedure of initial literacy software in primary / nursery schools, and b) To explore young pupils (KS1) thoughts on using basic literacy software and on the technical features and instructional characteristics in such programs. This inquiry investigated the above aims involving the views of the three stakeholders - teachers, developers, and children. Namely, 112 primary school teachers, mostly mature in age and experience, of five LEAs in Southwest area of London, 98 KSI (62 Yrl and 36 Yr2), and 10 software companies. The constructivist paradigm by Cuba & Lincoln was employed to reach joint constructions by comparing and contrasting differences, but mostly to give weight to the perspectives of the less power - children - to "give voice". The study has found that young pupils do not have frequent access to such programs, and to computers in general, though schools are equipped with computers and literacy software. The ratio of computers to pupils is large, 1: 13. Schools opt for the ICT suite in order to secure equal access. Just over half of the teachers feel sufficiently trained in using ICT. The older in age and in teaching experience teachers feel less confident in using technology. Developers share the view that teachers' ICT skills are poor. Half of the available software does not undergo any testing before reaching classrooms since only half of developers evaluate their products, and equally half of teachers preview it, but both without pupils involved. Young in the profession teachers and teachers who feel sufficiently trained tend to preview software more than the rest of their colleagues. No criteria are used in order to select computer packages and teachers feel that they need more skills for that reason. The older in the teaching profession educators find more influential software that has been tried out with children. The criteria found in this study are the same as the ones provided by the literature and the ones used by few teachers. Pupils like to work on computers. They believe that computers contribute to their learning, and equally literacy games contribute to the development of pre-reading skills. They like to work in pairs and explain why. The views of pupils on the difficulties they encounter match the views of teachers and developers. Regarding the software elements the study has shown differences between the two age groups (Yrl and Yr2). Similarly, differences are found between the three stakeholders in relation to technical features in software. The study provides a list of recommendations for classroom teachers.This study is partly funded by Brunel University