In Norway's 'Framework Plan for kindergartens' digital tools are to be implemented for learning, play and creativity. Implicitly the concept of digital tools, or ICTs, tend to be tablets, computers, and interactive whiteboards, smartphones are as such not taken into account. However, we find that the smartphone is particularly interesting because…

Purpose: Oral language skills provide a critical foundation for formal education and especially for the development of children's literacy (reading and spelling) skills. It is therefore important for teachers to be able to assess children's language skills, especially if they are concerned about their learning. We report the development and…

This article uses a sociomaterial perspective to explore how deficit views of young children's language and literacy are sustained and can be challenged. Foregrounding the notion of multiplicity, it considers how diverse sociomaterial relations work to uphold particular kinds of practice and particular arrangements of bodies and things over…

Although existing literature has established that technologies are utilized in play and can be supportive of learning, utilization of technologies in play-based classrooms is not commonplace. This study is an holistic examination of a successful 2-year process of integrating an iPad into a play-based preschool setting. Each year the use of the…

This study examined how preschool teachers' perception of technology usability and associated beliefs about technology integration influence the way they integrate a technology-based, early language and literacy curriculum, RIA-Mobile. Through multiple regression and path analysis, results showed that technology usability was a key variable that…

Policymakers' neoliberal education reforms, which define education through economic rather than democratic principles, continue to promote the integration of mobile devices into early childhood classrooms to provide students with new learning opportunities while preparing them for the job market. Although many schools have begun integrating such…

This report presents findings from a yearlong investigation of the Apple and ConnectED initiative in 10 preschool classrooms. The goal of this work was to document and describe technology integration in the context of well-supported, child-centered early learning settings. By working with a small set of exemplary preschool programs, we present a…

This paper details a digital technology solution to a problem that arose during a science lesson in an early years class. The teacher used the opportunity to enable the children to apply their knowledge and skills of a software application developed in a recent ICT class. Using the age-appropriate app, the students could communicate their learning…

Using electronic tablets to present flash cards for teaching skills is becoming common among practitioners. However, no published study compared the effectiveness of the electronic tablet-based flash cards to paper flash cards for teaching receptive labeling skills. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of the iPad-based and paper…

Augmented reality (AR) as an emerging technology has gradually been incorporated into educational contexts; however, the cases that incorporate AR into early childhood contexts are underrepresented and especially scant in the literacy domain. Aiming to measure the impact of AR on early childhood learning and motivation in the literacy domain, this…

This empirical case study investigated prosocial sharing behaviours when using media and technology, i.e., iPads. The following research questions were explored: (1) How do prosocial behaviours of sharing manifest among preschool-aged children interacting with iPads? (2) What are the effects of iPad use on the manifestation of prosocial sharing…

This qualitative study investigated how a group of three-year-old preschool children use the drawing application "Doodlecast" on iPads. The smoothness, rapid response, and distinctive digital visual expressions of the tablet provided visual feedback that influenced the children's preferences for colors. "Doodlecast" seemed to…

In the current educational landscape where the use of technology is prominent, the present study was designed to examine how to effectively integrate iPads and open-content applications into early literacy instruction through the use of creation-based tasks: digital experiences where students have the opportunity to be creators of content and…

The Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) is an international, non-profit educational organization. The Association's purpose is to advance the knowledge, theory, and quality of teaching and learning at all levels with information technology. "EdMedia + Innovate Learning" took place in Amsterdam, The…

There are many digital technologies available to support teaching and learning. Historically the focus has tended to be on computers, but this has extended to include interactive whiteboards and tablets. As well as these technologies, which were originally designed for adults, there are devices specifically designed to support teaching and…