Technology Play: Advantages and Disadvantages for Development and Learning

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Young children are growing up in a technology environment. It is within this environment that traditional concepts of play are being influenced. Early childhood settings reflect children’s environments therefore the introduction of technology would be a natural consequence. Play is central to children’s development and learning, consequently technology play is influential. To benefit children’s development and learning, technology play has to be inclusive and developmentally appropriate with attention to technology placement while ensuring the learning is curriculum based. To extend the learning experience skilled educators have to scaffold children’s learning experience with different tools, technology play can thus be a useful tool.

Play crosses social and economic and boarders, it has implications for social information processing, regulation of emotion, empathy, conflict management together with skilled social interaction. (Creasey, Jarvis and Berk 1998).Play can be defined as the activities of non-serious nature, highly individual that are engaged in for pleasure which may not be associated with reality. (Saracho and Spodek as cited in Hoffnung, Hoffnung, Seifert, Smith and Hine 2010) ).Non play is initiated by the teacher with specific themes that are goal or result defined while play is characterised by self directed opportunities for the child (Yelland 1999).

Many theorists have discussed the importance of play in relation to children’s development. Lev Vygotsky regarded play as a major component for leading development in the early years similarly Jean Piaget theorised that children learn best by play (K Aronsson).

The fabric of our communal settings has changed. Children have less access to open spaces and outdoor fa...

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