Abstract
This 2-year research study followed 14 kindergarten classrooms in Ontario as they used open-ended tablet applications to support literacy learning. Through multimodal slideshows the children explored identities such as reporter, teacher, and architect during self-initiated role-play. The slideshows they created demonstrated multimodal productions that were longer, more complex, and more varied than their literacy production with traditional literacy tools and practices. Rather than supplanting traditional kindergarten meaning-making practices such as role-play, children folded digital affordances into their play in ways that expanded the range of identities they explored and the tools and practices with which they explored them.
Highlights
Mobile digital technologies have become “everyday objects” in the lives of many young children in Canada, both inside and outside of formal learning environments
The educators, registered early childhood educators (RECEs) and Ontario certified teachers (OCTs) in full-day kindergarten core day classrooms and before and after school kindergarten classrooms, were all interviewed before the study began to determine their experiences with digital technology (DT) and their attitudes towards using DT with young children
At the end of year one they were interviewed again to see if their attitudes towards using DT with young children had changed, and to learn about what they perceived to be the challenges and benefits of using the tablet apps in their programs to support literacy learning
Summary
Mobile digital technologies have become “everyday objects” in the lives of many young children in Canada, both inside and outside of formal learning environments. There is a growing body of research into the various types and uses of digital technology (DT) for young children. Several recent studies describe how mobile DT, such as smartphones and tablets, are being used to support young children’s literacy learning at home and school, and to create a school to home link (Blagogevic, Brumer, Chevalier, O’Clair, & Thomas, 2012; Neumann, 2016; Radesky, Schimacker, & Zuckerman, 2015; Wong, 2015). While some studies have examined the use of eBooks, games, digital drawing pens (Lee, Wu, & Chen, 2017), augmented reality toys (Yilmaz, 2016) and learn-to-read apps, studies that report on the use of open-ended iPad apps in school environments are emerging (e.g., Fleer, 2014; Herro, 2015). Several studies (e.g., Falloon & Khoo, 2014; Harwood, 2017; Roswell & Harwood, 2015) illustrate the dynamism with which DT is being explored in early learning classrooms as a way to redefine literacy acquisition, expression, development, and consolidation.
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