Dr. Nicola Yelland of Victoria University shares her experience with the use of technology in classrooms around the world and how educators can use technology to tailor learning in their own classrooms.

1. Nicola Yelland,
Ph. D.
April 10, 2014
LEARNING WITH NEW
TECHNOLOGIES:
ENCOURAGING AND
SCAFFOLDING ACTIVITIES &
EXPLORATIONS
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7. TODAY’S SPEAKER
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Professor Nicola Yelland
College of Education
Victoria University

8. +
Reconceptualising
Scaffolding
Professor NicolaYelland
College of Education
Victoria University.
© NicolaYelland,Victoria University, Melbourne.

9. +
Overview
n Scaffolding learning
n iPad project
n Kindergarten (4 year olds)
n Preparatory class (first year of schooling – Age 5 years)
n A framework for using new technologies (SAMR)
n Examples
n Summary and implications

13. +Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard
University Press.
T h e d i s t a n c e b e t we e n t h e a c t u a l
development al level as determined by
independent problem solving and the level
of potential development as determined
through problem-solving under adult
guidance or in collaboration with more
capable peers (p. 86).

14. +Wood, D., Bruner, J., & Ross, G. (1978).The role of tutoring in problem
solving. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry,
17, 89–100.
…process that enables a child or a novice to solve a problem,
carry out a task, or achieve a goal which would be beyond his
unassisted efforts (p. 90).

15. +Yelland and Masters (2007). Computers and education, 48,
362.382.
n Cognitive
n Affective
n Technological

16. +Yelland, N. J. (2011). Reconceptualising play and learning in
the lives of children. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood,36
(2) 4 - 12.
Playful explorations
‘They are initiated by the child(ren) or the teacher and can be
extended in multiple or specifically planned directions. They
incorporate the use of new technologies. They are structured
yet flexible. In many instances they can be linked to specified
learning outcomes while in others they might make a
contribution to more global aims for learning, like fostering
creative thinking by enabling the children to generate diverse
solutions or make suggestions for success.They extend beyond
the preschool years into the early years of schooling. There are
pedagogical challenges to consider in order to support such
playful explorations.“

17. +
Yelland (2011)
“…playful explorations that are supported by new media and
interactions with adults/ teachers provide contexts for dynamic
opportunities for teaching and learning in the early years. One
important consideration regarding the learning of young
children has become apparent. We need to provide contexts so
that young children are exposed to different modes of
representations which in turn afford them the opportunity to
formulate new understandings about their world and make
meanings about ideas and concepts on the basis of their
experiences.”

18. +
iPads in the early years…
n Describe what constitutes effective pedagogies when using
tablet technologies in early childhood settings.
n Explore the potential of applications to support the teaching
and learning of literacy and numeracy with young children.
n Examine the ways in which tablet technologies can be
incorporated and integrated into early childhood curricula
to support new forms of meaning making, knowledge building
and learning in the early childhood years.
n Work with teachers to explore professional learning
opportunities that will enable teachers to effectively
incorporate tablet technologies into their programs.
n Consider resources for teachers to illustrate practical ways of
using tablet technologies with young children.

19. +
What we found…
n Teachers can incorporate new technologies into their
pedagogical repertoire when they are scaffolded and utilize
appropriate conceptual frameworks for understanding teaching
and learning with new technologies (e.g. the SAMR model,
Puentendra, 2011).
n The use of specific applications on tablet technologies (e.g.
iPads) enable young children to have multimodal experiences
that have the potential to extend learning outcomes. These
applications can be incorporated in play based kindergarten
learning programs to enhance learning alongside traditional
materials and extend the children’s learning potential via
investigations and reflections. In the first year of school the
tablets can both support and extend literacy and numeracy
learning when they are integrated into the program.

20. +
n The use of tablets is influenced by the teachers’ philosophy,
their preferences for learning and their stated goals for the
children in their class. In primary school contexts, their
usage was also impacted by state mandated curriculum and
outcomes. The quality of children’s learning is influenced by
a range of factors. Tablets can also be used to support and
extend learning in early childhood centres and schools, but
their use is highly related to the teacher’s confidence about
using them and the ways in which they are perceived to add
value to the learning experiences. The most innovative uses
of tablets were when they were used for investigations by
children who were able to create electronic artifacts that both
communicated their discoveries, and enabled them to reflect
on their learning in new and dynamic ways.

21. +
n Teachers recognized the need for leadership and
information about how to effectively use tablets in their
learning programs. They also stated that access was still a
pervading issue that inhibits their more frequent use. The
teachers suggested that professional learning opportunities
needed to show practical ways to use tablets in literacy,
numeracy and in investigations which now form the basis of
their programs.

22. +
n Planning formats and requirements vary according to the
age of the children and the requirements that the centre, or
school, place on their teachers.
n Kindergarten - was spontaneous and written in retrospect, in
the form of observations that then formed the basis for future
interactions with the children.
n In the primary school context – teachers planned
collaboratively and were able to embed the use of school
iPads into their literacy and numeracy ‘rotations’.

24. +
n Substitution – in which the technology acts as a substitute for
traditional teaching materials and thus there is no fundamental
change to the learning context, apart from the fact it is digital.
n Augmentation – the technology being used changes the
learning context with some functional improvements being
made.
n Modification – where the technology allows for some significant
task redesign.
n Redefinition – in which the use of technologies allows for the
design of new learning experiences that were previously not
possible.

25. +
4 year old kindergarten
n Using the (digital) camera for explorations and reflection.
n Searching for information for investigations and to support
play based scenarios.
n Creating eBooks.

29. !
!
!

31. +
Sophia (Age 2 years) goes to
Egypt.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mNWuW6IE3Y&feature=youtu.be

32. +
The lady says the right number…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5X-pGbEVrw&feature=youtu.be

33. +
Preparatory class (5 / 6 year olds)
n The teachers indicated that the following activities were
needed:
n Support for number Recognition and sequencing to 10
n Extension numeracy (number stories as eBooks and
electronic number sets and creating graphs).

36. !

38. +Lulu aged 3 years
n Ansel and Clair go to Africa
n http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fbfILtlFQc
n In this vignette Lulu turns on the tablet and selects a game
called Ansel and Clair. The activity takes her to Africa where
she finds out about the soft shell turtle and crocodiles. There
is not much to do in the game except to navigate to the
different parts where the action occurs (visual mode) and
information is provided (aural). Finally, she takes a photo with
the onscreen camera and places it in a travel book that is
being compiled.

39. +
n Toca Boca (music maker)
n
n http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6U0w6NZoMI
n
n This game can encourage exploration of basic musical skills
with pitch and sound variations.

40. +
Organizational aspects
n BYOD iPad programmes?
n Teacher aides/ educational assistants
n Parent volunteers
n Peer experts – tablet tutors
n Does the brand matter? – its all about new learning!
n Let go….. Enjoy, play and learn!

41. Learning with New
Technologies:
Encouraging and
Scaffolding
Activities &
Explorations
QUESTIONS?
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42. …with activities
and reporting
technology to
make
scaffolding a
snap.
TECHNOLOGY
THAT REALLY
WORKS
“Letter Wall” Foundation I “Letter Wall” Foundation II

43. COMING NEXT MONTH
STEM IN EARLY EDUCATION
ROUND TABLE
Thursday, May 8th 2014
2-3:30 PM ET
Share your questions!
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44. ALSO COMING NEXT MONTH
Family Engagement Through
Music: How Music Can Support
Parent Involvement in Children’s
Learning at School and at Home
Lili Levinowitz, Ph.D. & Lauren Guilmartin, M.A.
Thursday, May 22nd 2014
2-3:30 PM ET
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46. THANKS!
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