| CODE | EPE3002 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Using Digital Technologies to Promote 21st Century Learning in Early Childhood Education | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Early Childhood and Primary Education | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | The prevalent use of technology in our world significantly impacts young learners' lives. Technology is a powerful tool in early years settings since it supports learning and offers young learners opportunities to be problem-solvers and active, productive, independent and creative learners. It is a powerful tool both in the cognitive and social development of young children. Technology provides full access to learning for all children, including children with learning difficulties, since it caters for different learning abilities and styles by offering multimodal learning situations. It also offers early childhood educators a variety of affordances to document learning and to promote parental involvement and provide further learning opportunities at home. Study-unit Aims: - To familiarise educators with a variety of web 2 tools and apps to create digital learning resources; - To acquaint educators with a variety of digital resources, web 2 tools and apps which develop numeracy, oracy and digital literacy; - To explore and evaluate the opportunities offered by technology to document learning and create electronic portfolios; - To demonstrate how technology enhances learning situations by promoting communication, collaboration and creativity among learners and engages learners in inquiry-based learning situations. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Make use of a variety of digital affordances to promote learner-centred pedagogical approaches and inquiry-based learning; - Consider how technological affordances provide opportunities to cater for a variety of learning needs and styles; - Select appropriate digital tools according to particular learning situations; - Understand how technology can enhance learner’s cognitive and social development and develop 21st century learning competences. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Gain confidence in using a variety of digital resources and web-based tools suitable in early years settings; - Prepare digital resources to promote learning in different contexts; - Become conversant in locating, selecting and evaluating web-based resources appropriate for early years settings; - Use a variety of web 2 tools to enhance communication with parents and to record children’s learning and understanding. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main texts: - Donohue, C. (Ed.) (2015) Technology and Digital Media in the Early Years: Tools for Teaching and Learning. Taylor & Francis. - Parette, H. and Blum, C. (2013). Instructional Technology in Early Childhood. Paul H.Brookes Publishing Co. - Parette, H.P., Quesenberry, A. C., and Blum, C. (2010) Missing the Boat with Technology Usage in Early Childhood Settings: A 21st Century View of Developmentally Appropriate Practice. Early Childhood Education Journal, 37: 335–343. - Puerling, B. (2012) Teaching in the Digital Age: Smart Tools for Age 3 to Grade 3. Redleaf Press. - Simon, F. and Nemeth, K. (2012) Digital Decisions: Choosing the Right Technology Tools for Early Childhood Education. Gryphon House Inc. Supplementary texts: - Blackwell, C. K., Lauricella, A. R. and Wartella, E. (2014) “Factors influencing digital technology use in early childhood education.” Computers & Education , 77: 82–90. - Cicconi, M. (2014) “Vygotsky Meets Technology: A Reinvention of Collaboration in the Early Childhood Mathematics Classroom”. Early Childhood Education Journal 42.1: 57-65. - Wang, F., Kinzie, M.B., McGuire, P. and Pan, E. (2010). “Applying Technology to Inquiry-Based Learning in Early Childhood Education” Early Childhood Education Journal, 37:381–389. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Independent Study | ||||||||||||
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| LECTURER/S | James Callus Tania Gatt |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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