7. User-Tablet Communication - A Complete Model -- Cognitive Ability and Design -- It Takes Time - Persistence, Prolonged Use and their Relationship to Understanding -- The Perils and Promise of Touchscreens -- Recommendations -- Notes -- Index
Understanding Tablets from Early Childhood to Adulthood offers an alternative to dominant and populist narratives that young people are intuitively able to successfully use tablet devices. Adopting a research-driven approach, the book contests the ideology that touch-technologies are easier to understand, and identifies the factors that contribute to communicative encounters between users and tablets. Communication theory and cognitive psychology concepts and methods are employed to offer an epistemological exploration of user-tablet interaction with a focus on the use of these technologies in educational settings.
This book explores mathematical learning and cognition in early childhood from interdisciplinary perspectives, including developmental psychology, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and education. It examines how infants and young children develop numerical and mathematical skills, why some children struggle to acquire basic abilities, and how parents, caregivers, and early childhood educators can promote early mathematical development. The first section of the book focuses on infancy and toddlerhood with a particular emphasis on the home environment and how parents can foster early mathematical skills to prepare their children for formal schooling. The second section examines topics in preschool and kindergarten, such as the development of counting procedures and principles, the use of mathematics manipulatives in instruction, and the impacts of early intervention. The final part of the book focuses on particular instructional approaches in the elementary school years, such as different additive concepts, schema-based instruction, and methods of division. Chapters analyze the ways children learn to think about, work with, and master the language of mathematical concepts, as well as provide effective approaches to screening and intervention. Included among the topics: The relationship between early gender differences and future mathematical learning and participation. The connection between mathematical and computational thinking. Patterning abilities in young children. Supporting children with learning difficulties and intellectual disabilities. The effectiveness of tablets as elementary mathematics education tools. Mathematical Learning and Cognition in Early Childhood is an essential resource for researchers, graduate students, and professionals in infancy and early childhood development, child and school psychology, neuroscience, mathematics education, educational psychology, and social work.
The SAGE Handbook of Human-Machine Communication has been designed to serve as the touchstone text for researchers and scholars engaging in new research in this fast-developing field. Chapters provide a comprehensive grounding of the history, methods, debates and theories that contribute to the study of human-machine communication. Further to this, the Handbook provides a point of departure for theorizing interactions between people and technologies that are functioning in the role of communicators, and for considering the theoretical and methodological implications of machines performing traditionally ‘human’ roles. This makes the Handbook the first of its kind, and a valuable resource for students and scholars across areas such as communication, media and information studies, and computer science, as well as for practitioners, engineers and researchers interested in the foundational elements of this emerging field. Part 1: Histories and Trajectories Part 2: Approaches and Methods Part 3: Concepts and Contexts Part 4: Technologies and Applications
Touch screen tablets have greatly expanded the technology accessible to preschoolers, toddlers and even infants, given that they do not require the fine motor skills required for using traditional computers. Many parents and educators wish to make evidence-based decisions regarding young children’s technology use, yet technological advancements continue to occur faster than researchers can keep up with. Accordingly, despite touch screen tablets entering society more than 5 years ago, we are in the infancy of research concerning interactive media and children. The topic has gained traction in the past couple of years. For example theoretical papers have discussed how interactive media activities differ from physical toys and passive media (Christakis, 2014), and how educational apps development should utilise the four “pillars” of learning (Hirsh-Pasek et al., 2015). Yet there has been little experimental research published on young children and touch screen use.
The third edition of this essential book presents a comprehensive and accessible overview of contemporary theory and research about young children’s developing thinking and understanding. Sue Robson’s detailed exploration of the ideas and theories is enlivened by transcripts of children’s activities and conversations taken from practice and contemporary research, helping readers to make links between theory, research and practice. This new edition brings together up-to-date research into neuroscience and digital learning, combining theory with discussions for best practice. Each chapter also includes ideas for further reading and suggested activities. Key chapters explore the following: Theories of cognitive development The social, emotional and cultural contexts of children’s thinking Developments in brain science and young children The central roles of play and language in young children’s developing thinking Children’s conceptual development; visual thinking and thinking in music This book is crucial reading for all those interested in how young children develop through their thoughts and actions, including students of Early Years studies, teachers and early years practitioners.
Digital practices are forging ahead in leaps and bounds. Examining digital practices in early childhood education, this book seeks to inform the discussion on how digital technologies are best integrated into play-based pedagogy, and demonstrates effective practices that enhance children’s learning and development. With a range of international contributors, perspectives, and case studies, the fusion of play and portable technology is explored through contemporary research.
This book explores current research on young children’s beliefs and knowledge about the biological world – otherwise known as ‘folkbiology’. Contributors discuss factors that shape the development of folkbiological knowledge, as well as possible interventions designed to counteract cognitive biases that can interfere with the development of scientifically informed reasoning about natural phenomena. Taken together, the papers provide insights into the contributions of cognitive biases to the development of biological misunderstandings and into the life experiences and contexts that can contribute to or impede accurate learning of biological concepts. As part of a wider literature, the insights provided by the authors are relevant to the design of educational experiences that will foster children’s exploration and further their understanding of life science ideas. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Early Education and Development.
Mobile technologies combined with an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge and organization of learning experiences that are meaningful to children could create a creative and interactive learning environment different from that of traditional teaching. Making good use of mobile learning with appropriate devices will increase the learning motivations of the students and help them bring about positive performance. Mobile Learning Applications in Early Childhood Education is a collection of innovative research on the methods and applications of mobile learning techniques and strategies within diversified teaching settings. While highlighting topics including computational thinking, ubiquitous learning, and social development, this book is ideally designed for researchers, teachers, parents, curriculum developers, instructional designers, academicians, students, and practitioners seeking current research on the application of mobile technology within child education.
Exploring Key Issues in Early Childhood and Technology offers early childhood allies, both in the classroom and out, a cutting-edge overview of the most important topics related to technology and media use in the early years. In this powerful resource, international experts share their wealth of experience and unpack complex issues into a collection of accessibly written essays. This text is specifically geared towards practitioners looking for actionable information on screen time, cybersafety, makerspaces, coding, computational thinking, STEM, AI and other core issues related to technology and young children in educational settings. Influential thought leaders draw on their own experiences and perspectives, addressing the big ideas, opportunities and challenges around the use of technology and digital media in early childhood. Each chapter provides applications and inspiration, concluding with essential lessons learned, actionable next steps and a helpful list of recommended further reading and resources. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to explore what we know – and what we still need to know – about the intersection between young children, technology and media in the digital age.