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1 Introduction

As early childhood pedagogies evolve, placing greater importance on the acknowledgment of learning within sociocultural contexts (Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), 2009, Belonging Being and Becoming), the use of mobile technologies as educational tools within our preschool has, in turn, progressed also. The inclusion of two ipad mini to teacher resources has afforded children and educators the opportunity to enhance learning, using methods many of our children are accustomed to within their own homes.

The preschool used as the case study in this report is a 22 place early learning environment that benefits from the knowledge and experience of eight educators, holding qualifications that range from Bachelor of Early Childhood Education to Diploma in Children’s Services and trainees working toward achieving a certificate III in children’s services. All educators contribute to the preschool curriculum, deriving content from children’s interests, ideas, and questions. The children and their families reflect a vast range of familial structures, such as socioeconomic status, employment and education levels, culture, and religious beliefs and customs. The dynamics of such differences is considered to be one of the preschool’s greatest assets and achievements.

While the concept of creating an educational curriculum, originating from the ideas of 2–5-year-olds, that presents opportunities for children to learn and develop life skills (while also representing key learning areas such as literacy, math, and science in concrete experiences, guided by the five learning outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia) (DEEWR 2009) may seem daunting, educators have relished this challenge, discovering and embracing pedagogies that best serve current educational philosophies. Mobile technology is considered a means of providing the children with reliable, current information, accessed without delay, provoking critical thinking in young children.

The use of mobile technology creates technological experiences within our setting that are more economical than previous options. The advantages of using ipad mini over installing computer technology for children were overriding and were dominated by the ease of use for our students. The smaller size of these devices makes them easier for children to physically manipulate, and the visual touch screen prompts provide greater possibility for children to navigate the device independently. Increasingly, they are providing children with access to current technology, such as the Internet, email, YouTube, games of an educational standard, and eBooks. Children have quickly become accustomed to this convenient means of researching their questions, sharing information with peers, or keeping in touch with their friends as they travel around the world.

Access to this technology has created opportunities to explore the world beyond the preschool community, opening doors to authentic information that was previously very difficult or time consuming to retrieve. Expanding the communities of our young students far beyond physical horizons promotes cultural diversity, a quality that is reflected within the Early Years Learning Framework (DEEWR 2009, pp. 25–29) and highly esteemed within their school. Intentional teaching allows educators to use pedagogies that utilize mobile technology to “…plan experiences and provide resources that broaden children’s perspectives and encourage appreciation of diversity” (DEEWR 2009. p. 27). Within our increasingly globalized world, this is imperative as “Issues such as climate change and food security extend beyond national borders and require countries to work together to solve these problems in new and innovative ways” (Pickles 2012, p. 9).

Vygotsky’s theory of children’s learning and development forms the basis of many pedagogical practices in early childhood education, specifically theories regarding learning that is scaffolded by more knowledgeable others (MKO) (Vygotsky, cited in, Mcleod 2007 ). The iPads promote this pedagogical model among the children, when interests, ideas, and issues arise during their everyday play and learning. Children who have an extensive understanding of iPad software and “apps” become the MKO, promoting positive connections, collaboration of ideas, and support of their peers and even at times their educators, as knowledge and ability are expanded, when they demonstrate the effective use of this technology. Educators can further scaffold learning, using the same technology children will commonly be exposed to in their future formal school career and as digital citizens in the long-term future. In direct contrast to those children who find themselves to be an MKO, educators also find great benefit with the use of mobile technology to children who have little to no experience with this type of software at all. Utilizing the iPad at preschool helps to provide equality in accessibility to digital technologies for all children, regardless of their background.

Experiences with the iPads are small fragments of time, no longer than 5–10 min on average. Using timers has allowed children to know and prepare for time limits, engaging in turn taking and successful sharing, which is considered a valuable lifelong skill to master among peers (DEEWR 2009, p. 28). On other occasions, educators use the iPads with groups of children and also as a means of daily documentation. This usage is not set to a schedule but rather a spasmodic system, whereby the educators may determine when the use of mobile technology may be more beneficial than other forms of research, investigation, exploration, or experimentation.

Family opinions regarding the use of mobile technology were surveyed, with results confirming all agree that educational apps and research are considered appropriate use of iPads while in an early learning setting, complimenting more traditional educational experiences appropriate for preschool-age learners, such as unstructured play, reading books, and physical activities. Responses emphasized that iPad screen time was preferential to other screen times such as movies, and concerns were raised regarding the fine motor strength and dexterity of children as they mature, if technology experiences were paramount to customary fine motor experiences such as playing with Play-Doh and Lego and playing a musical instrument or hanging from bars.

For educators, it has meant that a multitude of resources are literally available immediately, affording greater ability to immediately respond to children’s interests and inquiries. Educators have also used mobile technology to document children’s learning during their active participation in experiences. This documentation consists of photographs, video footage, and written observation detailing events and experiences. Further, accident and illness records can be completed using mobile technology devices, allowing educators to remain with the children while completing this task. Data is then easily accessed by families at their leisure, giving them “real-time” information regarding their child’s day at preschool and providing children and their families with instant feedback of their learning (Carr 2001).

However, as effective educators of the service, it is important to consciously consider not just advantages but also disadvantages to this mode of mobile teaching in the preschool. Integrating technology and early childhood education can be confronting on many levels, yet, regarding the use of iPads for research and educational games, this learning can be seen as an immediate link to information, building a society of people who have their needs met by technology and in an instantaneous manner. Also, the familiar and traditional role of the educator as being the MKO for the children is shifting (Makin et al. 2010) when considering games and apps the iPad offers in the preschool setting. Many times children of the service have assisted one or more educators to set up games they have chosen to play, as the educator has limited knowledge of how the game is operated. This indicates a need for educators to obtain professional development in the use of iPads with children, in order to use these in the most appropriate and educationally beneficial way for children. At this stage the availability of this professional development has been limited; however, it is anticipated that there will be an increase in this, as the use of mobile technology in early childhood services increases.

Cameron et al. (2003) (cited in Makin et al. 2010) argue that early learning is a sensory journey where young children need to explore and understand their world rather than use two-dimensional tools, which can then lead to today’s dilemma of childhood obesity. Considering this, the educators of the service must be mindful of the amount of screen time children are participating in within our service. Get Up and Grow documents released by the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA 2011) recommend children aged 2–5 years engage in less than 1 h of screen time per day (DoHA 2011), with screen time considered to be the viewing or use of any technology with a screen, including an iPad. While it is impossible for educators to track the culture of each child’s specific individual use and amount of screen time accessed in the home, concerning iPads, computers, television, or even smartphones, it was essential that the preschool includes iPad use in the media policy. Exciting new research on screen time has emerged to inform educators and families of the benefits of active screen time. Active screen time involves the child engaging in both cognitive and physical activities (Sweetser et al. 2012). Furthermore, Sweetser et al. (2012) link the benefits of active screen time during the preschool years with increased cognitive development and improved school readiness.

A t this stage it is difficult to determine the long-term advantages or disadvantages, as the use of mobile technology within early childhood is really just beginning. Through our survey for families, it was revealed by a parent who teaches high school that children entering high school were lacking basic fine motor skills. Could this be the result of too much use of mobile technology? Such was the opinion of this parent.

With the educators being informed of all aspects of using iPads in mobile teaching, considering both advantages and disadvantages, the service concludes it is an essential tool for today’s young learners. Educators feel mobile technology is an important addition to the curriculum for all children; however, it is important that iPads make up a small component of the daily curriculum and are used to support children’s engagement in learning rather than drive it.

Experiences are and will remain fundamental to develop a child’s learning, which foster the skills considered necessary for our children to mature into successful and contributing members of our community. Problem solving, creative thinking, curiosity, resilience, self-motivation, and independence (DEEWR 2009) have long been considered necessary dispositions of effective learners. Today, mobile technology is recognized as a pedagogical tool that supports learning and the acquisition of life skills within early childhood educational contexts.

2 Future Directions

For mobile technology to be used in an efficient way in early childhood, educators need to educate themselves on how to use this in teaching as a learning tool. Educators must also ensure that children are still being offered plentiful opportunities for active, hands-on learning that is so important in the early years. The preschool sees mobile technology being used increasingly in the future, particularly as a means to access the variety of resources that are now accessible online to expand children’s interests and learning.

3 Cross-References