Early Years Technology Torches Wanted

STEAM I believe is the best way to integrate Technology, into the Early Years Curriculum.

Through STEAM, Technology is not seen as a separate entity, which then leads to it being viewed negatively. We need to revisit Technology in the Early Years space. When I say we, I do not include myself, since attending computer club at secondary school, I always knew it had a place in education.

Over the last 10 years through various roles, from ICT Coordinator to an Early Years Educator, and STEM lead, I have seen and done enough to stay true to my belief and passion, that Early Years Technology as part of STEAM, in Early Years is the right approach.

The biggest mistake was, rather than learn how to use Technology as just another tool in Early Years, alongside traditional tried and tested methods under the EYFS, its wording was taken out of the framework.

This I believe led to a big misunderstanding within the Early Years Space, that Technology should not be in Early Years at all. Soon through media and social media platforms including LinkedIn, very negative information spread mainly around screen time, that Early Years Technology was somehow damaging for young children.

I am more than happy to be challenged on this, because, from the research I have read so far technology as a tool itself is not the concern here, and as time passes the research for and against are still evolving.

Screen time is a whole other debate which is raging right now, I have recently written a separate article on it, so I wont be discussing it much here.

My experience of Early Years Technology was never just about computers, tablets and Interactive Displays. I created a whole list of non digital technologies.

Bee Bot’s, with pen holder for mark making, a set of torches, for sensory play, light panels with translucent letters of the alphabet or numbers placed on them, for literacy and maths. How about a set of radio controlled cars navigating around obstacle courses created by the children in the garden. Microscopes that connect to a pc so children can see the mini beasts they collected from the garden under it, for, knowledge and understanding of the world. Walkie talkies encouraging communication and language. I recall a nursery using a recordable talking toy, to settle a child who was missing a parent who had to go abroad on a job. The nursery recorded the parents voice on the toy and whenever the child felt anxious from the separation they went to their tray took the toy out and played back the message from the parent.

Cameras enable children to create their own stories through pictures. Tablets with the right software, have also been great video story makers for children

Last but not least the amazing Mantra Lingua pen that can read books in different languages, support children and parents with EAL, as well as support communication and language in all children. you can record voices on tiny stickers and add the stickers to books so the book became audible as well as visual, I actually did that to my own favourite book “Peace at Last” stickers could even be added to childrens artwork or mark making with the child’s voice explaining what they had done and were able to hear it back just by placing the talking pen on the dot.

Interactive displays, have come in for huge criticism in Early Years, because of the way inexperienced untrained staff, have been using them. its about balance using it for a purpose.

A little girl arrives to nursery one day, with a red arrows jump suit on, it was a Monday and over the weekend she had been taken to the Royal Air Force Museum in Hendon London.

She was of course so excited with her costume and the other children were also excited by this bright red pilots jumpsuit. Non of the other children hard even heard of the museum much less visited it. I had an activity planned already for that morning but I put it on hold, this was too good a knowledge and understanding opportunity to miss.

I took my key group to the communication and language room, where as well as books and role play props, we had our interactive table that tilted upright. I asked the girl to explain to her friends what she was wearing and where she visited, I then turned on the display connected to the internet and found links to the Red Arrows.

“Wow look at the smoke its red, now blue now white, the aeroplanes are red and going so fast, that’s the queen and the planes are flying over her house”. these were the words coming out of the discussions between the children.

We then found links for the the Royal Air Force Museum. I let the girl stand next to the screen and show her friends the places she had been, she literally took over the class while I took a step back and watched the excitement and listened to all the language coming out.

I also took pictures and videos and shared them with the parents, through the children’s learning journals. Feedback from parents were really complimentary, and the children were still talking about the experience days after.

This is Early Years Technology, and with it integrated into STEAM, it is as my key children used to say at nursery “WOW! Thats Amazing!

A lot of the time Technology, which in its simplest form is just a tool is blamed for poor learning outcomes. This comes from a lack of clear Intent, very poor Implementation, which ultimately leads to a negative Impact.

As the saying goes “a poor workman always blames his tool”.