Blog Post #6: Early Literacy in a Digital Age

In the article, New directions for early literacy in a digital age: The Ipad, Flewitt et al. (2015) discuss how iPads offer new opportunities for early literacy learning but also present challenges for teachers and children. In the study, iPads were lent to a Children’s Centre nursery (3- to 4-year-olds), a primary school reception class (4- to 5-year-olds) and a Special School (7- to 13-year-olds). Before the study began, the researches suggested uses for the iPads with staff in pre- and post-interviews. Staff were also observed on how they were using the iPads in their teaching practice over a two-month period. There was variety in how the iPads were used but common findings were that well-planned iPad literacy activities stimulated children’s motivation/concentration as well as chances for communication, collaborative interaction, independent learning, and for children to achieve high levels of accomplishment (Flewitt et al., 2015). It was also found that practitioners valued how the iPads tackled the curriculum in new ways and how they allowed students to become more familiar with touch-screen technologies.

Flewitt et al. (2015) comment on how research evidence has consistently shown that there is uncertainty towards the incorporation of new technologies into early literacy education. As cited by Flewitt et al. (2015), some people enthusiastically embrace new media (e.g. Galloway, 2009), while others argue that it has no place for it in early learning (House, 2012), and/or that certain technologies are developmentally inappropriate and risk exposing children to unsuitable content and uncritical engagement with information (Miller, 2005).

Before this course began, I really questioned the use of technology in Kindergarten, however, my beliefs have been transforming each week as I continue to see the benefits out weighing the negatives and have how using technology can enhance/support student learning. As discussed in the article, these are some factors that practitioners felt hindered them from using technology, including: using a curriculum that focuses on literacy as primarily paper-based, lack of time to explore available digital resources, absence of guidance about the potential of new technologies to promote early literacy and low confidence in using digital devices effectively (Flewitt et al. 2015). I would also add through my experience, a lack of funds and access to technology. This course however, is allowing me to explore supporting research in regards to using technology as well as building my confidence in order to implement it effectively.  Extending from this, my new found knowledge might also help me advocate for technology use at my school as well.

At the start of the case study, “all practitioners recognized the potential of new technologies for learning, yet many also voiced concerns about their potential harm. Some were wary of the addictive and ‘over-stimulating’ nature of digital gaming and felt children were spending ‘not enough time outside… too much time sitting down’” (Flewitt et al. 2015, p. 295). Once again, these perceptions were very similar to mine before beginning this course. A preschool teacher, in the article, also believes that ‘keeping a balance’ between learning activities with traditional and new media, and making the most of technology ‘to enhance teaching’ is important (Flewitt et al., 2015). After teachers had been using iPads in the classrooms for a few weeks, the researchers noticed that most of the teacher’s fears in regards to technology began to subside.

Throughout the study, many of the adults dedicated hours of personal time searching for suitable apps to include in their literacy planning (Flewitt et al., 2015). This is something that my learning pod and I have discussed frequently; finding appropriate apps and sharing them. Perhaps, in the future there could be a resource for learning apps in the BC curriculum to save teachers the time of finding appropriate learning apps. I am grateful for this course, as I have the time to research and explore apps more frequently.

During the study researches also observed how ‘closed content games’ (content could not be changed or extended by the user) were sometimes used effectively to develop learners’ vocabulary or phonics, however, they positioned children as receiving narrowly defined literacy knowledge, rather than as creative producers of original materials. As a result, some children soon grew tired of their repetitive format (Flewitt et al., 2015). In contrast ‘open content’ apps, where users could personalize activities, engaged children more deeply and creatively in learning tasks (Flewitt et al., 2015). In the article, Our Story App, was used as an example of an effective open content app. Here is some information that I found about this app:

Through their research, Flewitt et al. also observed a student that had limited fine motor control becoming more engaged in fine motor tasks by using My Colouring Book Free app to colour in animal-related scenes. Even though the app had ‘closed’ content, it promoted fine motor control, while allowing the boy a degree of creative expression (Flewitt et al., 2015).

Here is a link to more  info on the My Coloring Book Free app:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/my-coloring-book-free/id378761846

In regards to children’s motivation and independence, staff in all settings commented on how iPads heightened children’s concentration levels, as well as, how children with usually short attention spans persisted for extended periods of time with the iPad (Flewitt et al., 2015). The researchers also noted some of the challenges practitioners faced while using the iPad: spending too many out-of-school hours searching for appropriate apps and planning their use, encountering technical difficulties during lessons, students becoming frustrated if they did not know how to complete activities, as well as unsupervised children seeking possession of the iPad with too many fingers on the screen leading to apps not functioning.

In conclusion, I learned a lot from this article about the benefits of using the iPad to support literacy in my classroom. It has further fuelled my excitement to continue my research!

Photo by Hal Gatewood on Unsplash

References

Flewitt, R., Messer, D., & Kucirkova, N. (2015). New directions for early literacy in a digital age: The iPad. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 15(3), 289-310. doi:10.1177/1468798414533560