research

The world makers : one centre's approach to technology education with infants and toddlers

Abstract

Infants and toddlers are surrounded by technology. They observe and explore technological artefacts and the uses of them on a daily basis. Despite this, there is little research to guide teachers about what the technological interests, understandings and capabilities of infants and toddlers might be and how they might be supported and extended. Technology education is a relative/y new curriculum area and it has not yet been included in the literary discourse about infant and toddler educational programmes. This study aims to examine what the teachers at one childcare centre identify as the technology interests, understandings and capabilities of a small group of infants and toddlers. Video footage was taken of the infants and toddlers at work and play and segments were then shown to individual teachers during interviews. The children's assessment portfolios were examined and the teachers and families were invited to contribute further information. The sum total of this data was used to analyse and reflect on particular episodes of video footage. The technological interests, understandings and capabilities of both the children and the adults were seen to be integrally linked to the temporal, physical and interpersonal environments of the centre

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