The Importance Of Digital Technology In Child Development

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Recommended: Effect of technology on the academic performance of students

Digital technology in education has been described as a personalisation of learning, where the learner makes informed choices as to where, how and what to learn (Green, et al, 2005). Additionally, Green et al (2005: 18) defines digital technology as:

' Where the system conforms to the learner, rather than the learner to the system. Bespoke support for each individual that recognises and builds upon their diverse strengths, interests and abilities and needs '.

This definition could be a way to define child led/ free choice play in Early Years.

How children learn in the Early Years.

The work of those such as Piaget (1972) and Vygotsky (1978) has informed the basis of Early childhood curriculum and pedagogies and afford a fundamental reason for child centred learning via play, as a crucial element of developmentally appropriate practice (Yelland, 2008). During play children set their own level of challenge and so what they are doing is always age appropriate. Play is spontaneous and initiated by the …show more content…

It is common place to see people stood at bus stops or just walking around with mobile phones in their hands. As Rushkoff (2013) believes, ' This tendency to be 'always on ' changes our ability to engage with the world around us. Consistent with this, Yerkes Dodson law (Yerkes and Dodson, 1908) believes too little stimulation and children become bored, while too much stimulation can cause anxiety. Both are dysfunctional in terms of learning. This links to behaviour and level of engagement while using technology.

Flow is characterised by the complete absorption or engagement in an activity and refers to an optimal experience (Csikszentmihayli, 2002). It is described as a state of consciousness that individuals can sometimes experience, children are deeply occupied by a pleasurable activity to the elimination of everything that is happening around them. There is research that suggests being in this flow or zone makes our lives

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