Links to research and academic articles related to the topic of technology and ECEC.
"This report presents the findings of an evaluation of digital learning, conducted by the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills, in a sample of early learning and care (ELC) settings, primary schools and post-primary schools, during the period January to December 2019" (DES, 2020). Access the report here.
Position statement from the National Association for the Education of Young Children in Washington which was published as a guide for educators on the use of technology and digital media in early childhood. Click here.
Article addressing the amount of time that children spend playing on technological activities versus outdoor play and non-technology play. Access the article here.
Research paper on the effect of digital media technologies on child social, emotional and moral development. Click here to read.
"We believe that blending interactive technology and personal interactions with others offers the most promise for using technology as a tool for whole child development in the digital age." (Donohue & Schomburg, 2017).
Article published in NAEYC's Young Minds magazine in 2017 entitled "Technology and Interactive Media in Early Childhood Programs: What We’ve Learned from Five Years of Research, Policy, and Practice". Access it here.
Children are accessing technology from a very young age, this publication addresses the "How Much is Just Right?" in relation to young children and technology use. Access this publication here.
Systematic literature review looking at the readiness of ECEC practitioners in China to integrate digital technologies into their practice with practitioner education on utilising technology and levels of confidence being contributing factors to the findings. Click here to access.
"This study illustrates the level of digital competence of students of the Undergraduate Degree in Early Childhood Education of the University of Salamanca (Spain), with special focus on the variables of knowledge, use and attitude towards ICT". Results of this research found that student practitioners did not possess the required level of digital competence to effectively use digital technology and ICT in their academic and professional lives. (Martín et al, 2019). Access this research here.
Study based on the experiences of ECEC practitioners in Shanghai, China's largest city, aiming to examine practitioners views and perspectives on technology in ECEC. Findings suggest obstacles that may impede effective use of technology in the curriculum include practitioner literacy in information technology, lack of resources and the developmental needs of the children. Access this publication here.
"Findings from the study demonstrated that parents’ own screen time behaviors, leaving the TV on whether it was being watched or not and restricting outdoor play were associated with higher children’s TV viewing in the home environment. This knowledge is essential to inform future interventions aimed to address the increase in screen time among young children" (Bassu et al, 2021). Access this publication here.
Research study on the movement from paper based observation and documentation of children's learning to digital documentation through e-portfolios and online learning journeys. Finding suggest that digital documentation provides new possibilities for capturing children's learning and can increase access for child and parental engagement. However, the research also found that there is a danger of current digital tools for documentation, which can be centred around the needs of the adult practitioner, under-representing the child's voice. The research calls for increased research in this area (Cowan & Flewitt, 2021). Read the full article here.
A ‘Goldilocks amount’ of time spent online could be good for teenagers’ wellbeing, according to new research from Trinity College Dublin. Access this publication here.
"Using latent class modelling, this paper attempted to combine both time based and behavioural based digital media usage into a single exposure and examine its associations with psychiatric symptoms" (Brannigan et al, 2022).
Key points from this academic blog article:
"– Young children can master a range of computational thinking concepts and skills at an emergent level, which can help these children be more equipped for their future.
– Computational thinking in early childhood education must rely on tools and approaches that are developmentally appropriate for young learners.
– Early exposure to computational thinking is also important to prevent stereotypes and ensure all young children have equal opportunities to develop their digital literacy". Click here to read it.