Digital learning and educational technology in early childhood education
A technologically-driven approach to schooling demands age-appropriate considerations for young children.
There is a shortage of educational digital tools and content specifically designed for young children and there may be a mismatch between the types of content, platforms, tools, and various other digital solutions used for educational purposes with the learning and development principles that work best for young children (source). However, children are being exposed to and using digital devices at younger ages, with increasing numbers of children becoming familiarized with digital technologies in their homes before starting pre-school (source). Additionally, the early years are when children’s executive functioning and self-regulation skills develop rapidly and any guidance regarding digital media use and educational technology and digital learning, whether used remotely or in-person, for pre-primary aged children needs to take into consideration this unique stage of development.
There are a host of potential benefits/opportunities that edtech/digital learning approaches can bring to ECE, and used appropriately, it can be an effective tool for learning. As outlined in the background report for the World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education (WCECCE), edtech and digital learning can be used in a number of ways in ECE. First, ed tech/digital learning can be used to expand access to learning opportunities for hard-to-reach populations, whether geographically or philosophically. Edtech and digital learning approaches lend themselves well to the possibility of remote instruction and can also be used to personalize learning and increase accessibility and inclusion. Edutainment, such as educational television programming, can also enable multiple pathways for learning for all children. Second, edtech/digital learning can be employed as pedagogical tools by teachers and learners to improve the relevance and quality of teaching and learning processes. For instance, a study found that when preschool teachers were provided with a curriculum that utilized video clips, online games, and apps to introduce and practice specific skills, and then used these resources in whole group and small group interactions, students learned more, teachers spent more instructional time focused on learning goals, and teachers felt more confident in supporting learning of the content. Finally, edtech/digital learning can be used to promote 21st century skills, or the competences or digital skills needed for living, learning, and working in the modern world.
The use of technology is not a requirement when it comes to early childhood education. Technology may sometimes augment learning, when parents and teachers use it to enhance lessons or learning in out-of-school contexts. Or, in cases where in-person teaching is not possible and the only other option is for children to be out of school, remote learning options that employ “high tech” or “low tech” (or even “no tech”) modalities may be the only feasible option to keep children “in” school. However, digital learning approaches and educational technology on their own will not lead to improved student learning outcomes. The context of the situations need to be taken into consideration and a “one-size-fits-all” approach will not likely be successful.
Key Issues Regarding Digital Learning and Educational Technology in the Pre-Primary Years
While we know what works in early years pedagogy, research regarding educational technology and digital learning for pre-primary aged children is still limited, particularly when it comes to the long-term effects of such modalities. Further, digital media use is increasing at such a rapid rate that research cannot always reflect a current representation of the digital environment. Some of the findings from a recent rapid literature review looking at the use of education technology to support remote learning in the early years as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic were as follows:
- Education technology has significant potential to support early learning remotely, but more robust evidence is needed regarding what works for whom and in what contexts
- Caregivers play a key role in achieving impact. Remote interventions need to target their needs directly and/or support them to mediate their children’s access to and learning through technology
- All tech-based interventions need to reflect that quality early childhood education pedagogy is play-based learning
- Solutions delivered by/through the ECE workforce need to address the gap in skills and competencies as well as support their mental health and well-being
- There is uneven access to technology. Open access, open data, and open source information and resources are critical to empowering both the early learning workforce as well as caregivers at home
While there is an increasingly recognized need to protect young children’s privacy and well-being in digital environments, there remains limited guidance regarding digital learning for preschoolers (source). Given these limitations, consideration needs to be taken to ensure that digital learning approaches are developmentally appropriate and adhere to best practices for these youngest learners, as well as equitable, so that even the most vulnerable young children are reached. It is also important to ensure that children’s data are strictly protected, as well as being as safe and as ad-free as possible.
Finally, attention needs to be paid to inequality in access to educational technology for children, caregivers and families, and teachers. There may be issues such as not having the right equipment to access digital media, lacking the necessary infrastructure of electricity and reliable internet connections, and additional costs of data. There may be inequality when it comes to the quality and types of technology and content accessed, such as qualitative differences between free and paid versions of digital technology, or having technology and content in relevant languages and reflecting children’s realities and contexts. There is also a gender digital divide when it comes to accessing technology that disadvantages girls and women. The OECD notes that digital learning approaches and educational technology needs to be designed for children with a broad range of needs and abilities, including those related to linguistic and cultural backgrounds, as this may be another potential source of inequality. Accessibility features also need to be strengthened for children with disabilities. Finally, in addition to previously-mentioned inequality regarding general access to necessary equipment and technology, parents and teachers may lack the necessary digital literacy and pedagogical skills to help children access online learning platforms and tools and do so effectively and engagingly.
When educational technology is mentioned vis-a-vis children’s learning, often what comes to mind are more “high tech” options such as online learning platforms, the use of educational mobile apps, and the like. However, “low tech”options, such as broadcast media and using SMS messaging, are another effective way to reach children and their caregivers as well as preschool teachers. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries relied on more low-tech options, such as high-quality educational television like Sesame Street or Ubongo Kids and interactive radio instruction to reach children (source). For example, in Liberia, the Ministry of Education used instructional radio programmes at the pre-primary level in response to school closures caused by the Ebola epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic. While broadcast television and radio are one-way mediums, interactivity can be introduced by including content developed to invite children to respond verbally and physically.
Phone calls and SMS messaging apps, another low-tech modality, were frequently reported as the main way that teachers reached students or were able to provide support to parents during the COVID-19 school closures (source). Phone-based outreach, also through structured calls, automated text-based support were found to increase parents’ engagement and young children’s learning, while support through mobile-based applications can be manually initiated by teachers or facilitators or be automated to link parents with resources or targeted messaging. (source) For example, to support the continued learning of 5-6-year-old Syrian refugee and Jordanian host community children enrolled in kindergarten during COVID-19 school closures, Plan International and partners adapted interventions to be delivered remotely, with teachers sending activities, worksheets, and video instructions to parents through WhatsApp. An accelerated school readiness program, also targeting 5-6-year-old Syrian refugee children in Jordan, was digitized and delivered via WhatsApp and through a free mobile application. Tablets with pre-loaded content were also provided to families so they could access this school readiness programme offline. For more information regarding low-tech options for education, such as radio, television, and mobile devices, please see the following summarized recommendations from the EdTech Hub.
Rather than having guidance regarding digital learning and educational technology writ large, most countries and organizations have focused on screen time guidelines, which adopt more of a physical health perspective, as opposed to an emotional well-being or brain-based one. Many screen time guidelines assume that children of all ages are passively watching television, that this is taking away from time spent engaged in physical activity, and make recommendations accordingly. A brief review of screen time recommendations from different countries found that in general, zero screen time was recommended for infants and toddlers and less than an hour was recommended for pre-primary-aged children (source). Some exceptions are guidelines published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) in the United Kingdom. The AAP suggests avoiding digital media use for children 18 months of age and younger, except for video chatting. For children older than 18 months, there is guidance around high-quality programming and co-viewing with children, although there are still suggested time limits depending on child age. Guidelines from the RCPCH focus on aspects of child well-being, such as online safety and access to inappropriate content, rather than recommending age-based limits for screen use.
It should be noted that a missing element in many of these screen time-focused guidelines is the actual use of educational technology and digital learning methods, as well as considerations around active screen time and active co-viewing the long-term impacts of which are still little-studied in the ECE years. Still, it should be stressed that using technology for technology’s sake is not sufficient; rather, it should be used for learning and meeting developmental objectives, including being used as tools during play. It is important that if educational technology is used in ECE, content and activities should be age-appropriate
Additional Resources
Technology and children/Educational technology
Key reference documents
Children, technology, and play
Children and teachers engaging together with digital technology in early childhood education and care institutions: A literature review
Creating a Sesame Street for the Syrian Response Region: How media can help address the social and emotional needs of children affected by conflict
EdTech for learning in emergencies and displaced settings: A rigorous review and narrative synthesis
Guiding principles for use of technology with early learners
How to bring family engagement and early learning into the digital age
Pulse check on digital learning
Revising the potential uses of media in children’s education
Technology and interactive media for young children: A whole child approach connecting the vision of Fred Rogers with research and practice
Tools
Educators’ digital competency framework
Effective teacher professional development using technology: Technology-based strategies from across the globe to enhance teaching practices – A guidance note
Digital teaching and learning knowledge package
EdTech Hub Helpdesk
EdTechTools
Transforming education: Guide to unleashing the power of EdTech
Remote learning
Key reference documents
Resource pack to support remote learning
Trends, promising practices and gaps in remote learning for pre-primary education
Using EdTech to support learning remotely in the early years. Rapid literature review of evidence from the global response to COVID-19
Low-tech methods
Key reference documents
What do we know about the use of low-tech options for early childhood education?
Handbook for interactive audio instruction: Planning and implementing radio lessons in sub-Saharan Africa
Expanding access to early childhood development: Using interactive audio instruction
Examples