Last year I was a teacher-librarian at an elementary school and this year I am a kindergarten teacher. I am passionate about both of these roles but see myself staying in a kindergarten classroom for the next few years. At the school I was at last year and the beginning of this year, I had tons of access to technology and was able to incorporate digital literacy skills into the library program. However, having started in my new position in December, I have yet to fully use the technology available to my students and me.
I have taken ECE courses and am passionate about play-based learning in the Kindergarten classroom. With the BC government putting out a draft of digital literacy standards I wonder how digital literacy fits into a play-based primary program. How can I ensure the technology we are using and the digital literacy skills we are learning are developmentally appropriate? How can I balance the need to develop 21st century learners who are able to use a variety of technological tools in a play-based classroom?
I have read various blogs written by teachers who are tech-savvy and whose students are more fluent in technology and digital literacies than I am and I am interested in the small steps I can take to get to that point.
Key words:
Digital literacy in early childhood education
Developmentally appropriate practice and digital literacy
Technology integration in play-based classroom
Kindergarten and technology
21st century learning and early childhood education
Technology tools and kindergarten
Draft of Digital Literacies – http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/dist_learning/k2profile.htm