Since the establishment of the first nursery school there have been a vast number of developments in early childhood education. However, current developments seem to have neglected to take account of the advances in technology and the digital society in which young children live.
The separation of play and technologies in early childhood curriculum documents persists despite rapid advances in the pace of digitisation in post-industrial societies (Hobbs, 2010) and the consequent need for young children to develop ‘new’ skills in reading, navigating and participating in highly digitally mediated environments (Bittman et al, 2011).
This situation suggests that new ways of thinking about play and technology are needed to address the gap between pedagogical perspectives on play and the use of technologies in early childhood education so we are better equipped to support children's learning in a digital age.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here