The document discusses the importance of incorporating information and communication technology (ICT) into early childhood literacy education. It provides several arguments in favor of this approach, including that ICT skills are necessary for students' future careers and lives, and that introducing technology early can help close gaps for students without access to it at home. However, it also notes there are some arguments against overly emphasizing technology and reducing focus on traditional literacy skills. Overall, the document examines perspectives on both sides of how to best structure literacy education for young students in the modern, technology-centered world.
2. Annotations:
• Carrington, V. (2005). New Textual Landscapes, information and early literacy. In
Marsh, J. (Eds.) Popular Culture, New Media and Digital Literacy in Early Childhood.
New York: Taylor and Francis. Retrieved March 26th, 2014 from
http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=erHYYf88GlAC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1
&dq=early+childhood+literacy+education+ict&ots=btNo5Vbsk0&sig=j6BKhK2jfmpr
EIouF-MAA_CSt6E#v=onepage&q&f=false
•
In this chapter Carrington explores the ever evolving landscapes of texts in literacy,
especially noting the effects of this during early childhood learning. Carrington in
this article discusses that with new technology advances; literacy education now
needs to focus on educating the students using the technology available and as it
becomes available. Carrington also discusses that with the introduction of the
internet during childhood, students now have access to an immense amount of
information which previously would not have been so readily available. Carrington
is a credible author whom belongs to the Faculty of Education at the University of
Plymouth in the United Kingdom, she has also been published numerous times in
educational journals. This article will be useful to the essay as it supports the
hypothesis being proposed.
3. Annotations:
• Higgins, S. (2003). The impact of ICT on learning and teaching: it can make a difference. In Higgins,
S. (2003) Does ICT Improve Learning and Teaching in Schools? UK: British Educational Research
Association. Retrieved March 28th, 2014 from
http://learning.wales.gov.uk/docs/learningwales/publications/121122ictlearningen.pdf
•
In this chapter, Higgins discusses the benefits for teaching and learning that using Information and
Communications Technology can have, if it is used correctly. Higgins’ discussion concluded
numerous points including; Information and Communications Technology can assist students to
improve grades through its use, students view of learning was seen as more positive when
Information and Communications Technology was involved and lastly, simply supplying teachers
and schools with Information and Communications Technology, will not make a difference to
students learning alone, teachers need to attend professional development so as to be able to
beneficially use the technology during class time. This document was produced in the United
Kingdom and Steve Higgins, is a member of the University of Newcastle faculty. It is therefore a
credible source as the author is well-regarded and the research it was based on was conducted by a
research entity.
4. Annotations:
• Labbo, L. & Reinking, D. (2003) Computers and Early Literacy Education. In Hall, N.,
Larson, J. & Marsh, J. (Eds.)(2003) Handbook of Early Childhood Literacy. London:
SAGE. Retrieved March 27th, 2014 from
http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=xQI8DZr-
NTsC&oi=fnd&pg=PP2&dq=information+and+communication+technologies+early+
childhood&ots=pwf9C5dPrc&sig=1KWqEPbeAQa2-
j5BJGxbV2Wsq4U#v=onepage&q&f=false
•
Labbo and Reinking in this chapter discuss the necessity for digital based literacy to
be involved throughout schooling years. Furthermore technology is ever evolving
and most careers and jobs would now use some form of information and
communication technology throughout the workplace. Labbo and Reinking believe
that the students need to be educated for their future, this starts with
incorporating technology in literacy education. Linda Labbo is a Professor in the
Department of Reading Education at the University of Georgia and has been
published in numerous books in her field. David Reinking is also a Professor at the
University of Georgia. This chapter is particularly useful to the essay as it focuses
primarily on Early Childhood Education, which is hard to find specific research and
publishing’s on.
5. Annotations:
• Lee, L. & O’Rourke, M. (2006). Information and Communications
Technologies: transforming views of literacies in early childhood settings.
DOI: 10.1080/09575140500507835. Retrieved March 27th, 2014 from
http://www.darlingdeer.com.au/learningcollective/publication%20folder/
CEYE_26_01_05.pdf
•
In this article Lee and O’Rourke detail the findings of research conducted
in early childhood settings regarding the use of Information and
Communications Technology. IBM along with the Australian Government
set up a research project to put computers in early childhood centres in
low-socio economic areas. The overall aim of this case study was to
encourage the students and families to have a confident approach to
technology and for the students to become literate with computers in
order to be successful in their schooling years. This article by Lee and
O’Rourke is one of the few found to be produced in Australia, therefore it
is able to be argued that this piece is of higher relevance to the essay.
6. Annotations:
• Livingstone, S. (2004). Media Literacy and the challenge of new
information and communication technologies. London: LSE Online
Research. Retrieved March 27th, 2014 from
http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/1017/1/MEDIALITERACY.pdf
•
In this paper Livingstone explores the new literacy requirements of
education in the 21st Century. Livingstone discusses the necessity, not only
for leisure activities but increasingly for job prospects, of having
competency in computer and internet literacy. Livingstone also argues that
media literacy is so chameleonic, changing according to what media the
user is engaging with and also they are heavily interrelated, you need a
solid understanding of one in order to interpret the other. Overall
Livingstone sees media and digital literacy as valuable tools for the 21st
Century. Sonia Livingstone is a published writer, this article has been
published in a journal as well as on an online database. The article
reinforces the view of the essay, that literacy education is evolving and
needs to include different technologies.
7. Annotations:
• Marsh, J. (2005a). New Textual Landscapes, information and early literacy.
In Marsh, J. (Eds.) Popular Culture, New Media and Digital Literacy in Early
Childhood. New York: Taylor and Francis. Retrieved March 26th, 2014 from
http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=erHYYf88GlAC&oi=fnd&
pg=PP1&dq=early+childhood+literacy+education+ict&ots=btNo5Vbsk0&si
g=j6BKhK2jfmprEIouF-MAA_CSt6E#v=onepage&q&f=false
•
In this chapter, Marsh discusses the new found theories of the links
between digital literacy and children. The chapter defines literacy, popular
culture, new media and digital literacy. Marsh describes how the
traditional view of literacy and texts can no longer be solely used in
education. Marsh argues that whilst traditional texts still play a role in
literacy education, the focus is now on improving the digital literacy areas.
Marsh has edited and written numerous published works. Jackie Marsh is
also an esteemed member of the University of Sheffield in the United
Kingdom.
8. Annotations:
• Marsh, J. (2005b). Digikids: Young Children: popular culture and media. In
Yelland, N. (Eds.) Critical Issues in Early Childhood Education. New York:
Open University Press. Retrieved March 26th, 2014 for
http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Zp8QDxCnWPwC&oi=fn
d&pg=PP1&dq=ict+in+early+childhood+education&ots=4mz0XWGSd_&sig
=syuIHK-DnLGJhoSHlf0o6N8EXYc#v=onepage&q&f=false
•
In this chapter Marsh discusses the need to re-evaluate the importance
that digitalised media plays in early childhood literacy education. Marsh
emphasises the need to retain traditional literacy abilities, arguing that
the new media age has the potential to create deficiencies in student’s
literacy capabilities. Marsh also discusses that the gap between the home
and school worlds has not been closed as technology is proving to in some
cases widen the gap. Jackie Marsh is a Senior Lecturer of Literacy,
Language and Culture at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom.
She has published numerous books in the literacy field. This article does
offer some opposing views to that of the hypothesis of the essay.
9. Annotations:
• Rowan, L. & Honan, E. (2005). Literarily Lost: The Quest for Quality Literacy
Agendas in Early Childhood Education. In Yelland, N. (Eds.) Critical Issues in Early
Childhood Education. New York: Open University Press. Retrieved March 26th, 2014
for
http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Zp8QDxCnWPwC&oi=fnd&pg=P
P1&dq=ict+in+early+childhood+education&ots=4mz0XWGSd_&sig=syuIHK-
DnLGJhoSHlf0o6N8EXYc#v=onepage&q&f=false
•
In this chapter Rowan and Honan detail the evolution that has occurred in regards
to literacy education in the early years. Rowan and Honan discuss the stakeholders
in the students’ lives whom have together changed the face of literacy. The focus
has shifted from traditional reading and writing to digitalisation. Rowan and Honan
examine and evaluate a current literacy programme being used in Austrailan
schools and how this has taken into consideration the evolution of literacy. Both
Rowan and Honan are respected members of the literacy areas of Deakin
University. This article is useful for the construction of the essay as it raises key
ideas regarding literacy education change in the early years.
10. Annotations:
• Straker, L. & Pollock, C. (2005) Optimizing the Interaction of Children with
Information and Communtication Technologies. Australia: Ergonomics.
Retrieved March 27th, 2014 from http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au/cgi-
bin/espace.pdf?file=/2009/08/27/file_1/129062
•
In this paper Straker and Pollock explore the positive and negative points
associated with the use of Information and Communication Technology
during the childhood years. Straker and Pollock discuss how children use
Information and Communication Technology including schooling, leisure
and entertainment. Straker and Pollock propose the theory that society
will experience a technology revolution, similar to that of the agricultural
and industrial. The need for Information and Communications Technology
competency and literacy is growing fast and Straker and Pollock argue that
students in schools need to be becoming Information and
Communications Technology literate earlier. This article, was written and
published in Australia, it is arguably therefore more relevant to the essay.
11. Annotations:
• Waller, T. (2008). ICT and Literacy. In Marsh, J & Hallet, E. (Eds.) Desirable Literacies: Approaches to
Language and Literacy in the Early Years. London: SAGE Publications. Retrieved March 26th, 2014
from
http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=takll6K9EzsC&oi=fnd&pg=PP2&dq=ict+in+early+
childhood+literacy+education&ots=lwu-OPac1I&sig=GZRmtfMgMEQET-
9PDZWNrB6YmNU#v=onepage&q=ict%20in%20early%20childhood%20literacy%20education&f=fal
se
•
In this chapter, Waller evaluates a variety of different internationally produced research regarding
Information and Communications Technology in early childhood education. Waller discusses the
positive and negative impacts on children’s lives and schooling, as a result of the heavy use of
technology. Waller does however take into consideration that not all children have access to
technology and that the gap between home and school life in regards to technology is difficult to
judge. Finally, in this chapter Waller discusses the potential for the development of technology use
in classrooms and the benefits for the teaching and learning of literacy. Tim Waller is an esteemed
member of the University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. He has produced many research
tasks including the study of children using Information and Communications Technology or literacy
learning over a period of 8 years. This article is a great support to the essay, with 8 years of
evidence reinforcing this.
12. Essay:
• Literacy and what it actually is, is a highly contested and often argued
topic (Riddle, 2014a). “Literacy is at the heart of basic education for all,
and essential for eradicating poverty, reducing child mortality, curbing
population growth, achieving gender equality and ensuring sustainable
development, peace and democracy” (Riddle, 2014a). With this is mind, it
is important to consider all of the different facets and types of literacy that
students of the 21st century will need for later life. Technological advances
are at the forefront of conversation and confusion, many argue that
students not only need traditional literacy abilities but they also need to
be contemporarily literate. It is a belief of many that in the early years of
education, as well as all years of schooling, literacy education should
incorporate use of information and communication technology (ICT). The
following discussion will outline evidence supporting this belief and also
arguments to the contrary. At the core of this essay is the focus on literacy
education for children, how can it be improved, what will benefit them in
their lives and how can teaching staff assist them.
13. Essay:
• The 21st Century is an ever-evolving and growing landscape of texts (Carrington, 2005). Children of
this era need to be educated in how to effectively become literate of the new types of text and
technology that are continuously being invented (Carrington, 2005). In order for students to
become literate with all of the new technology, they need to have access with it and to experience
the benefits and uses for it (Straker and Pollock, 2005). Using information and communications
technology in the classroom is of benefit to the teachers and students. Labbo and Reinking (2003)
argue this point and believe that students need to be involved with information and
communications technology in order to have an explicit understanding of how it works, how to
comprehend and utilize it. Labbo and Reinking (2003) discuss that before school most students will
have come into contact with some form of information and communications technology, however
there are some students whom have not and this can create trouble in the classroom for teachers
(Labbo & Reinking, 2003). This is an argument for having the technology in the early years, so that
students can become familiar with it and confident in its use. For the students whom have had little
to do with technology of some sort, this is alarming as it widens the gap between home and school
worlds, in a negative manner (Labbo and Reinking, 2003) (Livingstone, 2004). These students will
complete their schooling and hopefully transition successfully into the workforce, with the
knowledge that the majority of workplaces having some form of information and communications
technology embedded within their industry, it is immensely important for these students to be
literate with a wide variety of technologies (Livingstone, 2004).
14. Essay:
• Currently in Australia there is a significant “education revolution” (Riddle,
2014a) occurring. The numerous political, educators and community
groups, whom are all major stakeholders in this revolution, are all pushing
for their ideals of improvement for the current literacy in the curriculum.
Marsh (2005a) raises the issues that not only do students of the 21st
Century have to cope with technology changes, but also the changes of
pop culture and new styles of media. Teachers need to be able to
incorporate these new advances into their programs to cater for our
changing world. Carrington (2005) is strongly in support of this issue,
agreeing that the new advances need to be heavily present in all
curriculums. This would arguably include the new curriculum being
constructed in Australia currently. All new information and
communications technologies need to be incorporated in the lesson plans
and assessments by the teachers. This would also mean that teachers
would need to attend professional development to keep their information
and communications technology skills up to date and continually be
creatively thinking of different ways to use the technology (Higgins, 2003).
15. Essay:
• In conclusion, literacy and its definition have for
many years been a controversial and sometimes
confusing topic. Now added to the mix is the
addition of the 21st Century information and
communications technology advances and how
to best prepare the students for the successful
transition into the workforce or further tertiary
study. At the core though of the contention is the
desire to improve and achieve the best outcomes
for the students as possible. This is the one aim
that all stakeholders in the literacy argument
agree on.
16. Reflection:
• Information and Communication Technology is a continuously evolving
topic and term. With all of the new technologies that are being produced
and that exist, it is so important that all students are given the opportunity
to become familiar and competent in using them. It is my personal choice
to make sure that when I am a qualified teacher, I will embed as much ICT
into the teaching and learning cycle of my programs and units as possible.
I would also like to keep up with technologies that are being created,
personally, as if I can realise the benefit and usefulness of them, it will
make it so much easier for me to pass this onto my students. I would like
to be creative as well with the technologies and use them in interesting
and engaging ways during assessment and classroom learning times. For
example, one technology I have pushed myself recently to learn and
understand is Pinterest, now with the more I have been using it, I can see
some really great ways to use this is the classroom as well as stimulate my
creative senses with all of the opportunities that exist on Pinterest. ICT is
one of those things you just have to keep embracing and pushing yourself
with, it isn’t going to disappear and the opportunities are endless.