Englands Early Childhood Education and Care - Literature review Example

? Integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Early Childhood Educational Learning Environment Total Number of Words: 1,500 Introduction England’s early childhood education and care (ECEC) curriculum was purposely designed to improve the teaching and learning experiences of children between 3 to 6 years of age (Taguma, Litjens and Makowiecki, 2012, p. 14). To increase the learning exposure of these children, policy makers created the New Primary Curriculum which strongly suggests the need to incorporate the use of ICT in early childhood education throughout the United Kingdom (Howard, Miles and Rees-Davies, 2010; Stephen and Plowman, 2008). Pre-schoolers are relatively young in terms of age. Therefore, it is necessary to closely examine the positive and negative impact of using ICT in early childhood education. To gain better understanding behind the need to incorporate the use of ICT in early childhood education, it is necessary to first discuss its importance followed by identifying useful ways on how the pre-school teachers can effectively integrate or implement the use of ICT within the early childhood education environment. Importance of Using ICT in Early Childhood Education There are many reasons as to why the New Primary Curriculum requires the need to incorporate the use of ICT in early childhood education. For instance, Can-Yasar et al. (2012) mentioned that it is necessary to expose children on how to use technology at an early age to prepare them with the use of a wide-range of technology in higher education. Furthermore, the act of early exposing children with the use of technology can somehow positively affect their mental development and long-term motivation to learn (Can-Yasar et al., 2012; Celebi-Oncu, 2010). ICT can be used to expand each child’s knowledge. Since the use of technology in play can force them to think rationally and solve simple problems in their own little ways, the process of integrating the use of ICT in early childhood learning is beneficial to their long-term intellectual development (Jonassen et al., 2008). Aside from creating an active learning environment for pre-school children, the use of ICT in early childhood education can also help the students improve not only their social-affective development but also their language, social-affective development, psychomotor skills (Can-Yasar et al., 2012; Celebi-Oncu, 2010; Forcier and Descy, 2008). In the process of allowing the pre-school students to develop a sense of belongingness inside the classroom, allowing them to use technology in learning will provide them with unlimited opportunity to work and learn collaboratively with other students (Forcier and Descy, 2008; Stephen and Plowman, 2008). Since the pre-school children will learn how to control their emotions and behavior in class, gaining friends will help these children gain both self-confidence and self-respect (Stephen and Plowman, 2008). Lastly, the use of ICT products in teaching can encourage the pre-school students to move their eyes and hands in coordination with their other body parts help them improve their motor and overall physiological development (Celebi-Oncu, 2010). Therefore, the use of ICT has been considered as a very powerful learning tool in early years. Strategic Ways on How to Effectively Integrate or Implement ICT in Early Childhood Educational Learning Environment Constructivism means that each child plays a significant role in “constructing enw knowledge” (Lake and Jones, 2012, p. 164). As a constructivist approach to early education, play is defined as “a meaningful activity that children choose to participate in, that involves children in physical, cognitive, and communicative efforts in social and cultural contexts” (Lake and Jones, 2012, p. 164; Hedges, 2008, p. 10). Based on the childrens’ experiences with their environment, the pre-school students can effectively learn how to solve problems and improve thier social skills (Can-Yasar et al., 2012). Aside from making children perceive learning as something fun and meaningful, the use of play-based strategy can also make this group of learners easily connect with ideas as they increase their knowledge by experiencing something new within the learning environment. Vygotsky mentioned that the pre-schoolers learn faster by exposing them to “informal daily interaction with their families and communities” (Brooker and Edwards, 2010, p. 28). Since play can effectively develop children’s physical, mental, social, and cultural development, Piaget and Vygotsky considered child-centred, play-based method as the best and most effective pedagogy for early childhood education (Brooker and Edwards, 2010, p. 28; Stephen and Plowman, 2008). To analyze the significance of play in the use of ICT as a pedagogy in an informal learning environment, Morgan and Kennewell (2005) conducted a self-directed study to test children’s confidence level, feelings, and ability to use new technologies. Eventually, Morgan and Kennewell (2005) found out that even though young children are not confident in the use of personal computers, the fact that most of them were exposed in the use of mobile phones and e-games made themselves more confident and successfully increase their competency in the use of unfamiliar software. As a result, allowing young children to engage themselves in play through the use of ICT could make them become self-efficient in the long-run. To understand how a child can increase their knowledge, Piaget’s theory of genetic epistemology is composed of four (4) cognitive structures known as: (1) sensorimotor stage (0-2 years); (2) pre-operational stage (3-7 years); (3) concrete operational stage (8-11 years); and (4) formal operational stage (12-15 years) (Bruce, 2010, p. 85). In line with this, children between the ages of 0 to 2 are expected to gain knowledge based on “motor actions” whereas children.between the ages of 3 to 7 are expected to gain knowledge through “intuition” (Instructional Design, 2013; Bruce, 2010, p. 85). It means that toddlers or pre-schoolers can learn to adopt to the use of ICT by visually and physically exposing them to the use of technology (Can-Yasar et al., 2012). Piaget’s theory is almost the same with constructivists’ idea of learning. When it comes to the integration and implementation of ICT in early childhood educational learning environment, it is important to consider Piaget’s idea that effective learning takes place through “adaptation”, “assimilation”, “accomodation”, and “equilibration” processes (Rathus, 2011, pp. 17 – 18). Basically, “adaptation” is referring to the child’s interaction with the environment; “assimilation” is referring to the need to incorporate new ideas in the existing schemes; “accommodation” is all about the need to modify the existing schemes; whereas “equilibration” is all about creating a balance between assimilation or accomodation (Rathus, 2011, pp. 17 – 18; Bruce, 2010, p. 85). In most cases, “adaptation” can happen either through assimilation or accomodation (Rathus, 2011, p. 17). Knowing that the pre-schoolers can easily learn by doing, teachers should allow the students to explore the use of ICT in class (Lake and Jones, 2012, p. 164). Instead of teaching the pre-school students how to read letters using a book, teachers should use laptops or tablet computers when showing the letters to the students (Plowman et al., 2012). As part of the students’ play activity, teachers can allow the students to use their tablet computers with electronic games that encourages the students to point out letters that were dictated to them. To increase the students’ adaptation and interest in the use of ICT in learning, the pre-school teachers should modify the game instructions from time to time and make sure that the learning environment is suitable for the use of technologies. For easy viewing, teachers should place laptops or personal computers away from natural light to avoid unnecessary reflection from the sunlight (Can-Yasar et al., 2012). Aside from the need to adjust the screen parellel to the eye level of each child, it is also important for the teachers to adjust the tables and chairs according to their height (Can-Yasar et al., 2012; Jackman, 2009). In relation to the interrelationship between the use of content, pedagogy, and technology, Lesisko, Wright and O'Hern (2010) highlighted the importance of good planning before integrating the use of ICT in early childhood learning environment. Aside from increasing the knowledge and skills of pre-school teachers with the use of technologies, it is also important for them to consider not only the curriculum content but also how they can make full use of play as a pedagogy when using ICT in teaching and learning process. To further enrich the students’ learning environment, teachers should make it a habit to combine the use of various learning materials with ICT using a set of structure within the learning environment (Can-Yasar et al., 2012; Kandir, Ozbey and Inal, 2010). Since 5 to 6 years old children have a short span of concentration, the pre-school teachers should make sure that there is one computer for every 10 students and limit the use of ICT between 10 to 15 minutes (Debreobah, 2009). Conclusion Play is the best pedagogy for pre-schoolers. To maximize the students’ learning experiences, teachers should create informal educational environment where the students can explore the use of ICT in learning. Furthermore, teachers should know the relationship between content, pedagogy, and technology. Since pre-schoolers are physically short, teachers will have to adjust all educational facilities based on their height. Because of their limited attention span, techers should limit the allowable time for teaching and learning down to 10 to 15 minutes. References Brooker, L. and Edwards, S. (2010). Engaging Play. Berkshire: Open University Press. Bruce, T. (2010). Early Childhood: A Guide for Students. 2nd Edition. London: Sage Publication. Can-Yasar, M., Inal, G., Uyanik, O. and Kandir, A. (2012). Using Technology in Pre-school Education. US-China Education Review, 4, pp. 375-383. Celebi-Oncu, E. (2010). Material usage and development in pre-school period. In Can-Yasar et al. (eds) "Using Technology in Pre-school Education". US-China Education Review 2012. 4, pp. 375-383. Debreobah, N. (2009). Pre-school education and mass communication devices. In G. Haktan?r (Ed.), Introduction to pre-school education (pp. 269-291). Ankara: An? Publishing. Forcier, R. and Descy, D. (2008). The computer as an educational tool. In Can-Yasar et al. (eds) "Using Technology in Pre-school Education". 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