A recent teacher professional development initiative led by an early childhood team of facilitators at CORE Education, New Zealand, concludes that e-learning or information and communication technologies (ICT)-based activities have significant potential for enhancing children’s learning, involvement of family and communities, and improvement in quality of teaching.
The report is entitled Effective Learning in Early Childhood Education? The Impact of the ECE ICT PL Programme: A Synthesis Report.
Uncertain beginnings, but conclusive result in favour of ICT in ECE
Summarizing the main findings, the report acknowledges that some teachers were initially nervous, even dubious, about the value of ICT in early childhood services. Health risks through too much screen-time, and doubts about the value of using ICT for teaching children of such a young age were major concerns by participating services. But once teachers became more confident themselves, and more aware of the potential, their views changed.
Anne Hatherly, the national team leader for the project commented, “What this professional development programme highlighted was: how the technology was used was much more important than what was used when it came to realising its potential to enrich learning.”
Ann had nothing but admiration for those that worked on the project. “We worked with an amazing bunch of courageous and innovative teachers who showed us what was possible to achieve when ICT was integrated into everyday experiences,” she said. But she added, “It wasn’t the tools, but the teachers’ attitude that made the biggest difference to the impact of ICT.”
“Many teachers found that seeing young chidren’s competence in using ICT cause them to reassess their teaching practice,” Ann concluded.
Three key areas ICT can be used effectively in early childhood education
The research showed three key areas where ICT can be used effectively in early childhood education:
- Improved children’s learning
- Improved connections with parents, family and the wider community
- Improved quality of teaching and self-analysis
Once teachers became more confident, they could concentrate on teaching, and the results were often surprising.
ICT can be effective in a child’s learning
Ann Hatherly said, “Teachers were often surprised by children's intuition and competence in using ICT. When this happened, there was often a shift in the power relations between teachers and children. Children were given more opportunities to lead their own learning.”
Ann commented, “Teachers found ICT is like picture books, the sand area, or dance—it speaks to some children and becomes the catalyst for engagement in learning.” “Knowing this,” she added, “it is hard to understand why you wouldn't want to include it in an early childhood programme.”
The technologies used were mainly laptops, digital still and video cameras, webcams, digital microscopes. Interestingly, mobile devices such as cell phones and iPods found little use.
ICT found to be useful in involving family and wider community
The study also showed how effective ICT can be used to involve a child’s family and the wider community in their learning processes. The report identifies that ICT improved parents’ awareness of children’s learning, and their ability to respond and become involved in that process.
Ann Hatherly illustrated the point with an example from Manaia Kindergarten.
“Some of the most powerful stories to come out of the project were those where ICT enabled children to keep in touch with friends and family living far away. A very touching example of this was Emily's story. She spent a whole morning creating a special sewing project for her grandfather who lived in England. Although she couldn't give it to him personally she could post pictures of it on the centre blog, which she did.
“By the next day her Grandfather had seen the pictures. He posted a comment back saying he was amazed at her wonderful work and incredible generosity in making the sewing for him. Five other viewers, including other family members in England commented also, as did Emily's physiotherapist in New Zealand who was able to see her skills in action and respond with encouragement. When you can't share something physically because of distance, being able to do it virtually is a very good substitute.
“The immediacy afforded by ICT was particularly valuable in making Emily's experience meaningful for her. The satisfaction and motivation she received from the feedback for her efforts would have been impossible to replicate without ICT.”
It also improved early childhood centre connections with their community, as well as assisting with children’s transitions within and between services and schools.
Benefits of ICT to teachers
Teachers found ICT of benefit to themselves in their own self-improvement. The report states:
The studies of teacher’s own professional learning found that, although challenging and initially uncomfortable, using new technologies (notably videos of teaching sessions) as a stimulus for their own reflection and learning could:
- enhance their own disposition to be professionally self-critical
- persuade them to give more ‘autonomy’ to children in their learning activities
- lead to their changing/improving specific pedagogical practices or habits.
More than ECE teachers would benefit from reading the report
Ann says that educators working in early childhood education would benefit from reading the report. “But also schools, as they need to be aware of what ICT experiences children might be coming to school with”.
“Academics, particularly those working in teacher education programmes, would benefit from the report”, says Ann.
Contributors and access to the report
CORE Education managed the project and facilitated early childhood services involved on behalf of New Zealand’s Ministry of Education as part of the Ministry’s implementation of Foundations for Discovery Framework (Ministry of Education, 2005). The project was conducted over three years, and based on action research and a three-phased survey over the period. It involved about 70 early childhood education services throughout New Zealand.
Members of the CORE team at the presentation of the report to the Ministry of Education.
From left: Tara Fagan, Vince Ham, Pru Dryburgh (MoE), and Ann Hatherly
CORE Education supplied a team of early childhood facilitators to conduct the research and facilitate the process. Those involved were:
Nick Billowes (Director Development)
Dr. Vince Ham (Director Research)
Ann Hatherly (Natonal Facilitator Team Leader – ECE ICT PL)
ECE ICT PL Facilitators from CORE Education were:
Sharon Carlson, Tania Couts, Helen Duncan, Janine Durno, Tara Fagan, Naketa Ikele, Linda Flavell, Liz Fitzsimons, Amanda Higgins, Tracey Nelson, Elaine Newton.
Where to get the report
The report has been published on the Ministry of Education’s web site Education Counts. It reveals the findings and contains anecdotal stories to illustrate the findings.
CORE Education Early Years (ECE) Facilitators
CORE's Early Years team can assist early childhood centres and organisations and schools in professional development.
