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Multiliteracy Projects

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PROJECT DESCRIPTION

A pedagogy for mulitliteracies with ICT in the knowledge era

Overview
Computers are increasingly finding their way into early childhood centres around Australia, which has led to questions being raised in education sectors as to the most effective pedagogy for their use in the early years of education. There have also been discussions about their potential to contribute to children’s learning and the perceived benefits and pitfalls. In turn, this has led to issues in relation to the preparation of practicing and pre-service teachers and development of their pedagogical orientation in relation to the use of technology with young children. This project aims to contribute to understandings in these areas and aims:

  • To design, in collaboration with teachers, approaches to integrating technology into the precompulsory and early years school settings that are responsive to early childhood philosophy.
  • To incorporate a pedagogy of multiliteracies for young children that prepare them for a technology rich society, which will include the creation of cases of preferred practice for integrating ICT into early childhood environments in order to facilitate the development of multiliteracies.
  • To investigate the value of multimedia in terms of the learning needs of minority and disadvantaged groups, including Indigenous children, children from language backgrounds other than English and children with special needs.
  • To create communities of practice with technology which include mentoring and collegial support groups for professional development, the development of online resources and communication tools and the development of an online network.

Outcomes of the project will enable educators to:

  • identify the extent of the impact of early access to ICT on children in families from low socio-economic areas
  • assist industry in refining ICT products to meet the specific educational needs of young children in Australia.
  • obtain and use examples of exemplary practice with ICT in early childhood contexts which will inform early childhood educators about effective ways in which they can be incorporated into programs for optimal learning.

Literature Review
Debate about the appropriateness of using a computer in the Early Childhood classroom persists with some strong advocates against its use (Armstrong & Casement, 2001; Healy, 1998), while others (e.g. Clements, Nastasi and Swaminathan, 1993 Yelland , 199) have indicated that research shows the powerful ways in which computers can be effectively integrated into contexts so that young children can learn in new and dynamic ways. Additionally, there are calls to broaden the focus of literacy in schools to “multiliteracies” (Cope & Kalantzis, 2000; Kalantzis & Cope, 2001) where children simultaneously ‘read’ and ‘write’ or ‘design’ with print, graphics, sound and movement. Information and communications technologies (ICT) provide children with opportunities to develop this new literacy.

This study aims to address the issues raised  by the use of ICT by young children and provide recommendations for the early childhood community in relation to the use of ICT in the early childhood years, with a particular focus on the pedagogy of multiliteracies.

The project will provide teachers with the opportunity to learn about and understand the concept of multiliteracies in the context of their local community and students. The understandings of teachers, parents and students will be addressed during the research. Benefits and concerns raised both in the literature and in local communities will be discussed in order to facilitate the development of a more critical view of ICT that connects to sociocultural concerns.

Learning and Pedagogy
Initial research indicates that there is still much to learn about the learning outcomes for children and for early childhood pedagogy in relation to the use of ICT in early childhood settings. In particular, traditional early childhood philosophies may emphasise a developmental or curriculum centred approach to learning, both of which have implications for ICT use. Contemporary approaches in early childhood education call for a shift in traditional philosophy. Cross-cultural and postmodern perspectives shared through globalisation and collaborative research challenge traditional developmentalist discourses. The re-imaging of the child associated with increased awareness of the early childhood experience of Reggio Emilia (Edwards, Gandini and Forman, 1998), the reconceptualising early childhood movement (Canella, 1997; Dahlberg, Moss and Pence,  1999) and socio-constructivist approaches (Vygotsky, 1978) demands that early childhood educators rethink early childhood curricula and pedagogical approaches. Previous research (ANSN, 2001) suggests that the integration of ICT within the early childhood context is a powerful tool in facilitating this process.

IBM Kidsmart Project
This project will extend the findings of a previous project that took place in 2001, when IBM extended their international KidSmart Early Learning program to the Asia-Pacific Region. A partnership with the Australian National Schools Network (ANSN) was formed to implement the program in Australia. This organisation took responsibility for identification of 98 early childhood centres (preschool and day care) serving low socio-economic communities, design and facilitation of professional development for teachers and research and evaluation in conjunction with the program.

IBM donated a Young Explorer computer unit to each recommended centre and partially funded initial research to investigate the impact of introducing this technology to these centres. Distribution of the centres included all eight Australian states and territories, with three high intensive sites (New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia) designated. Research Circles (clusters of early childhood centres and ANSN colleagues) were formed in the high intensive states to explore the impact of ICT in each setting, particularly in relation to children’s learning. In Western Australia, the Education Department subsidised this research with their own funds to further support the teacher research circles associated with the use of the Young Explorer.

The participating centres were selected on the basis of the following criteria:

  • high incidence of socio-economic disadvantage;
  • high proportion of children and families with language backgrounds other than English;
  • strong links with indigenous communities;
  • limited computer access and availability within the local community.

The aims of the project were to:

  • to increase the ability of economically disadvantaged children to succeed in primary school, by providing hands-on experience with technology;
  • to assist the residents of low income neighbourhoods to develop familiarity and comfort levels with using computer technology;
  • to develop and promote new methods of engaging children in learning through technology access;
  • to support early childhood educators, through training and professional development, to effectively integrate new technologies into their teaching and learning programs.

Initial evaluation data from the project suggests the following areas as needing systematic research with support from academic colleagues:

  • Clarification of effective pedagogy in relation to teaching and learning with ICT in early childhood settings. 
  • How technological literacy or the foundations of multiliteracies can best be facilitated in early childhood settings.
  • The impact of multimedia software on NESB children – initial annecdotal data indicates a possible positive correlation
  • The impact of multimedia software on children with disabilities – initial anecdotal data indicates a possible positive correlation
  • Clear articulation of the opportunities that ICT presents for new learning in new ways (as opposed to old learning in new ways).
  • Development of teachers’ and parents’ understandings in relation to ICT use with young children
  • The impact of early access to ICT on children’s first years at school
  • The impact of developing use of ICT in preschool settings through peer tutoring.

Project background and innovation
This project will  provide empirical research about the effects and use of ICT in the early childhood years in preschool and school settings. To date, much criticism has been levelled at ICT in early childhood settings (Elkind,1996; Wartella and Jennings, 2000). The proposed study will focus on learning outcomes and will address the concerns expressed by a variety of critics and explore the value of ICT in the acquisition of multiliteracies for young children. The longer term impact of such an initiative will be established through building on an already established industry funded project.

The technology utilised in this project is itself innovative. The Young Explorer(*) is a PC housed in a brightly coloured, inviting casing with a bench seat and mouse pads for two users. This facilitates children working in pairs rather than the traditional one user per computer seen in classrooms across the country. The keyboard, mouse and software have all been developed for ease of access by young children. Historically, early childhood settings have not been recipients of high-end, purpose made ICT resources. The attempt by industry to increase the appeal of using ICT for young children is the first of its kind internationally.
This project is also innovative in that our research will describe and evaluate the impact of this technology on children’s development of multiliteracies, as well as teachers’ understandings and use of ICT in relation to children’s development. Additionally, it will extend the context under study to the first year of school and monitor the transfer to the machines that are used in schools. The project will take a longitudinal approach to data collection and analysis, this approach has been identified as a key priority for early childhood research in Australia. Fleer’s (2000) report for the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs on early childhood research in Australia, highlights the need for longitudinal research, noting that this is seriously lacking in the early childhood field in Australia, hence teachers and researchers are currently relying on overseas studies that may be culturally inappropriate (Fleer, 2000). Linking industry with teachers, children and university researchers in a national investigation based on longitudinal research will be a seminal study in ICT in Australia and internationally.

Teachers require adequate support and professional development to integrate technologies effectively in their programs (Becker, 2000). Early childhood teachers are a particularly significant influence on children’s emerging literacies. Teacher confidence and competence in using technologies in meaningful and competent ways is an important step in developing student ICT literacy.  The Federal Government report Raising the Standards (2002) calls for “sustained and appropriate professional development to enable all teachers to develop and demonstrate their competence (in using ICT)” (p. 4). Hence, this project will make a critical contribution to a recognised area of priority and significance.

Research Methods
This research will be conducted using a methodology based on collaborative practitioner research (Cherednichenko, Davies, Kruger, & O'Rourke, 2001) which will involve teachers as co-researchers. The intention here is that the research process will also act as a form of professional learning and be of direct benefit to the teachers and their education communities. Central features of this research approach are aiming to understand social practice from the perspective of teachers, parents and children; teacher action research; sustained teacher professional conversations; rigorous reporting of classroom practices; case and commentary writing; and validation seminars. This methodology has been successfully used to identify learning outcomes, confirm understandings about teaching and learning and enable teacher researchers to “identify and speculate on new findings with regard to links between teaching practice, school organisation and student learning” (p. 2).

Research Sites
In the study there will be 12 research sites in each state. These sites will all be located in socio-economically disadvantaged settings. This is in line with IBM’s philanthropic vision to provide technologies to communities that may not otherwise access them. Each site will involve the participation of one on site early childhood professional and one assistant, as well as a mentoring early childhood professional from another site. Expressions of interest will be sought from early education and care settings to gain participanting sites for the project. Selection of sites will be made collaboratively by the Project Manager of the Australian National Schools Network (O’Rourke) and the Chief Investigators located in each state (Harrison, Lee and Yelland). Criteria for selection will include:

  • Socio-economic status of school or centre (according to ABS data)
  • Centres whose management indicate full support and agree to continue support for the life of the project.
  • Centres that support the project by contributing 3 days per particpant relief ‘in kind’.
  • Centres that form geographic clusters enabling after school meetings and informal networks to develop.

The study will take the form of teacher developed case stories and will begin with groups of children in pre-compulsory settings using the Young Explorer. Portfolios and field notes will be developed on a core group of 4 children at each site. One component of the project will be to track these children into the following two years at school and monitor their ICT use and fluency (Papert, 1996).

Research Circles
Research circles differ from the more common practice in education of professional development sessions where an expert stands and delivers and teachers/caregivers are passive recipients of new theories and practices. A research circle enables teachers/caregivers to be active researchers in their own teaching situation and to share their strengths, challenges and ideas in a professional forum. This approach is an effective strategy for building professional skills and ongoing action research in early education settings beyond the life of the project. The facilitation of these research circles by university based researchers is designed to provide early childhood professionals with current research and expertise in ICT and to assist with the development of site based action research and case study projects.

Mentoring Partnerships
These partnerships are critical to facilitating professional exchange and the development of expertise in early education settings. Research has indicated (Fleer, 2001) that early childhood professionals have a strong preference for working with each other rather than university based researchers and that they gain more insights from interactions with others working in similar situations and experiencing similar challenges. Partnerships in this project will pair teachers who have previously used the Young Explorer in their setting with an inexperienced teacher to provide support and assistance in establishing ICT in the early childhood setting.

Symposium
The symposium is designed as a culminating event to showcase the work of early childhood professionals throughout the life of the project. ‘Live’ classrooms will be a feature of the symposium as well as the presentation of case studies, action-research projects and panel discussions. Poster displays, accesss to the interactive website, DVD and CD-Rom developed by ANSN will facilitate the exchange of information and ideas. International guests will be invited to attend and present on ICT and multiliteracies from international research and practice perspectives.

Summary
The project will establish a firm foundation for technological literacy in early years education throughout Australia. The children who participate in this research will be better able to contribute to a world dominated by science and technology. As a result of their participation in this research, the teachers involved in the project, will be educational leaders in the area of ICT and the development of multi-literacies in early childhood. This is especially important because early childhood teachers have traditionally been reticent to integrate ICT and have often been allocated resources of poor quality and without professional development support. As a consequence of involvement in the project, teachers and children in low socio economic areas will access technologies which will assist in closing the gap between the ICT ‘rich’ and the ICT ‘poor’, Becker calls this gap the “digital divide” (2000, p. 44) and notes that there is a clear relationship between socio-economic status and the quality of children’s computer access and experiences. Hence, for the national good, ICT literacies in this project will be accessible to under resourced communities and will provide an opportunity for continued access and participation in ICT dominated activities that are increasingly a feature of society.

The National Employment and Education Forum report Bridging the Gap Between the Haves and Have Nots (2002) identifies that early childhood education and intensive support for indigenous education are crucial to addressing the increasing inequities between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ in the emerging knowledge economy. This project, which will enhance the development of ICT skills in disadvantaged communities and will address what has been identified as a key priority for Australian research.  Disadvantaged communities are the focus of this project and it is imperative that the resources provided by IBM are supported by adequate professional development of teachers since “the mere presence of computers in the classroom does not ensure their effective use” (Roschelle, Pea, Hoadley, Gordin and Means, 2000, p.  76).

References
Armstrong, A, & Casement, C. (2001). The child and the machine. Melbourne: Scribe.
Becker, H. J. (2000). Who’s wired and who’s not: Children’s access to and use of computer technology. The Future of Children: Children and Computer Technology, 10(2),pp. 44-75.
Cannella, G. S. (1997). Deconstructing early childhood education – Social justice and revolution. New York: Peter Lang.
Cherednichenko, B., Davies, A., Kruger, T. & O’Rourke, M. (2001). Collaborative practices: From description to theory. Paper presented at the AARE, Fremantle.
Cope, B. & Kalantzis, M. (Eds.) (2000). Multiliteracies: Literacy learning and the design of social futures. London: Routledge.
Dahlberg, G, Moss,. & Pence, A. (1999). Beyond quality and care in early childhood education- Post modern perspectives. London: Falmer Press.
Davis, B. C. & Shade, D. D. (1999). Integrating technology into the early childhood classroom: The case of literacy learning. Information Technology in Childhood Education, pp. 221-254.
DEST (2002). Raising the standards: A proposal for the development of an ICT competency framework for teachers. Canberra: Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training.
Edwards, C., Gandini, L., and Forman, G. (Eds)(1998). The hundred languages of children (2nd Ed). Greenwich, Connecticut: Ablex.
Elkind, D. (1996). Young children and technology: A cautionary note. Young Children, 31(64), 22-23.
Fleer, M. (2001). An early childhood research agenda: Voices from the field. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia.
Healy, J. M. (1998). Failure to connect: How computers affect our children’s minds – for better or for worse. New York: Simon & Schuster.
National Education and Employment Forum (2001). Bridging the gap between the haves and the have-nots: Report of the National Education and Employment Forum. Brisbane: Australian Council of the World Education Fellowship.
Papert, S. (1996). The connected family. Briding the digital generation gap. Marietta, GA: Longstreet Press Inc.
Roschelle, J.M., Pea, R.D., Hoadley, C.M., Gordin, D.N., & Means, B.M. (2000). Changing how and what children learn in school with computer based technologies. The Future of Children: Children and Computer Technology, 10(2), pp. 76-101.
Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind and society: the development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
Wartella, E. A., & Jennings, N. (2000). Children and computers: New technology- old concerns. The Future of Children: Children and Computer Technology, 10(2), pp. 31-43.
 
  © The Learning Collective, 2008