DigIQ – Professional learning modules for educators
Written by Lisa Kervin and Steven Howard.
This professional learning package is the result of sustained focus on what constitutes developmentally sound and quality practices during educator-child interactions involving digital technologies.
Digital technologies in young children’s lives
Digital technologies are a reality in young children’s lives, yet many adults are unsure about the best practices for supporting children’s learning during digital experiences.
This presents a problem. Educators have long known that social interactions are crucial for children’s learning but there isn’t real understanding about how interactions are enhanced or compromised during digital experiences. We understand this better now.
This professional learning package is the result of sustained focus (for some time!) on what constitutes developmentally sound and quality practices during educator-child interactions involving digital technologies.
Throughout our research, we have aimed to:
- Identify the qualities of effective and beneficial adult-child interactions in preschool children’s digital experiences;
- Observe, record and evaluate dimensions of high-quality adult-child interactions that involve digital technologies;
- Build an evidence base that informs pedagogical practices in early childhood settings.
Over a series of 4 modules, we encourage you to consider quality interactions during experiences that involve digital technologies, in small or larger part, and to make connections to your own pedagogical practices. Each module will provide opportunity to focus on key ideas, listen to a podcast, view examples from practice, consider actions for your own practice, explore additional materials and engage in some self-reflection.
Connect: Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework
Version 2.0 of Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework supports educators to extend and enrich children’s learning. There is increased connection to digital technologies – across all five outcomes – with clear indicators for child and educator activity.
In this resource, we address all 37 references to digital indicators and practices within the EYLF V2.0, which are visited and revisited across our modules, examples from practice and moments for reflection.
Acknowledgements
This professional learning resource acknowledges funding from the Australian Research Council:
- 2019-2024 ARC Discovery Project “Quality in adult-child interactions during digital experiences” DP190101256
- 2021-2027 ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child CE200100022
We acknowledge the involvement of Dr Natalie Day and Kate Lewis in wider project work in their capacity as Research Associates. We acknowledge A/Prof Irina Verenikina for contributions as a CI in the Discovery Project. We acknowledge Lisa Kilgariff, Dr Mitchell Parker, Michelle Gregory, Dr Clara Rivera, A/Prof Jessica Mantei and Tamara Gulic Phoenix for their contributions to research activities that enabled the curation of these PL materials.
We also acknowledge the sixty services (across NSW, Victoria and the ACT) and the UOW Discovery Space who have helped us form our ideas and understandings – sincere thanks to the educators, children and their families.
With our sincerest thanks, Lisa Kervin and Steven Howard
