Learning with New Technologies: Encouraging and Scaffolding Activities & Explorations

Nicola Yel land, Ph. D.

Apr i l 10, 2014

LEARNING WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES: ENCOURAGING AND SCAFFOLDING ACTIVITIES & EXPLORATIONS

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Professor Nicola Yelland College of Education

Victoria University

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Reconceptualising Scaffolding Professor Nicola Yelland College of Education Victoria University. © Nicola Yelland, Victoria University, Melbourne.

+Overview

n  Scaffolding learning

n  iPad project n  Kindergarten (4 year olds)

n  Preparatory class (first year of schooling – Age 5 years)

n  A framework for using new technologies (SAMR)

n  Examples

n  Summary and implications

+ Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

T h e d i s t a n c e b e t w e e n t h e a c t u a l development al level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem-solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers (p. 86).

+ Wood, D., Bruner, J., & Ross, G. (1978). The role of tutoring in problem solving. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 17, 89–100.

…process that enables a child or a novice to solve a problem, carry out a task, or achieve a goal which would be beyond his unassisted efforts (p. 90).

+ Yelland and Masters (2007). Computers and education, 48, 362.382.

n  Cognitive

n  Affective

n  Technological

+ Yelland, N. J. (2011). Reconceptualising play and learning in the lives of children. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 36 (2) 4 - 12.

Playful explorations

‘They are initiated by the child(ren) or the teacher and can be extended in multiple or specifically planned directions. They incorporate the use of new technologies. They are structured yet flexible. In many instances they can be linked to specified learning outcomes while in others they might make a contribution to more global aims for learning, like fostering creative thinking by enabling the children to generate diverse solutions or make suggestions for success. They extend beyond the preschool years into the early years of schooling. There are pedagogical challenges to consider in order to support such playful explorations. “

+Yelland (2011)

“…playful explorations that are supported by new media and interactions with adults/ teachers provide contexts for dynamic opportunities for teaching and learning in the early years. One important consideration regarding the learning of young children has become apparent. We need to provide contexts so that young children are exposed to different modes of representations which in turn afford them the opportunity to formulate new understandings about their world and make meanings about ideas and concepts on the basis of their experiences.”

+iPads in the early years…

n  Describe what constitutes effective pedagogies when using tablet technologies in early childhood settings.

n  Explore the potential of applications to support the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy with young children.

n  Examine the ways in which tablet technologies can be incorporated and integrated into early childhood curricula to support new forms of meaning making, knowledge building and learning in the early childhood years.

n  Work with teachers to explore professional learning opportunities that will enable teachers to effectively incorporate tablet technologies into their programs.

n  Consider resources for teachers to illustrate practical ways of using tablet technologies with young children.

+What we found…

n  Teachers can incorporate new technologies into their pedagogical repertoire when they are scaffolded and utilize appropriate conceptual frameworks for understanding teaching and learning with new technologies (e.g. the SAMR model, Puentendra, 2011).

n  The use of specific applications on tablet technologies (e.g. iPads) enable young children to have multimodal experiences that have the potential to extend learning outcomes. These applications can be incorporated in play based kindergarten learning programs to enhance learning alongside traditional materials and extend the children’s learning potential via investigations and reflections. In the first year of school the tablets can both support and extend literacy and numeracy learning when they are integrated into the program.

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n  The use of tablets is influenced by the teachers’ philosophy, their preferences for learning and their stated goals for the children in their class. In primary school contexts, their usage was also impacted by state mandated curriculum and outcomes. The quality of children’s learning is influenced by a range of factors. Tablets can also be used to support and extend learning in early childhood centres and schools, but their use is highly related to the teacher’s confidence about using them and the ways in which they are perceived to add value to the learning experiences. The most innovative uses of tablets were when they were used for investigations by children who were able to create electronic artifacts that both communicated their discoveries, and enabled them to reflect on their learning in new and dynamic ways.

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n  Teachers recognized the need for leadership and information about how to effectively use tablets in their learning programs. They also stated that access was still a pervading issue that inhibits their more frequent use. The teachers suggested that professional learning opportunities needed to show practical ways to use tablets in literacy, numeracy and in investigations which now form the basis of their programs.

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n  Planning formats and requirements vary according to the age of the children and the requirements that the centre, or school, place on their teachers.

n  Kindergarten - was spontaneous and written in retrospect, in the form of observations that then formed the basis for future interactions with the children.

n  In the primary school context – teachers planned collaboratively and were able to embed the use of school iPads into their literacy and numeracy ‘rotations’.

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n  Substitution – in which the technology acts as a substitute for traditional teaching materials and thus there is no fundamental change to the learning context, apart from the fact it is digital.

n  Augmentation – the technology being used changes the learning context with some functional improvements being made.

n  Modification – where the technology allows for some significant task redesign.

n  Redefinition – in which the use of technologies allows for the design of new learning experiences that were previously not possible.

+4 year old kindergarten

n  Using the (digital) camera for explorations and reflection.

n  Searching for information for investigations and to support play based scenarios.

n  Creating eBooks.

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+Sophia (Age 2 years) goes to Egypt. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mNWuW6IE3Y&feature=youtu.be

+The lady says the right number… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5X-pGbEVrw&feature=youtu.be

+Preparatory class (5 / 6 year olds)

n  The teachers indicated that the following activities were needed:

n  Support for number Recognition and sequencing to 10

n  Extension numeracy (number stories as eBooks and electronic number sets and creating graphs).

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+ Lulu aged 3 years

n  Ansel and Clair go to Africa

n  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fbfILtlFQc

n  In this vignette Lulu turns on the tablet and selects a game called Ansel and Clair. The activity takes her to Africa where she finds out about the soft shell turtle and crocodiles. There is not much to do in the game except to navigate to the different parts where the action occurs (visual mode) and information is provided (aural). Finally, she takes a photo with the onscreen camera and places it in a travel book that is being compiled.

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n  Toca Boca (music maker)

n   

n  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6U0w6NZoMI

n   

n  This game can encourage exploration of basic musical skills with pitch and sound variations.

+Organizational aspects

n  BYOD iPad programmes?

n  Teacher aides/ educational assistants

n  Parent volunteers

n  Peer experts – tablet tutors

n  Does the brand matter? – its all about new learning!

n  Let go….. Enjoy, play and learn!

Learning with New Technologies: Encouraging and Scaf folding Act iv i t ies & Explorat ions

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