Editor's view - Tablets of stone?
Monday, September 21, 2015
Debate about the role of ICT in the early years is surely some of the most polarised around, as our head-to-head between Professor Annette Karmiloff-Smith and Dr Richard House shows (see pages 14-16).
This is a very tricky issue for early years practitioners. There are many scary stories in the national media about the detrimental effects on children of watching TV and using computers and tablets, and we all know how addicted we can become to our smartphones and tablets.
At the same time, there are many exciting possibilities for learning and development if new technologies are used in the right ways. And children are certainly exposed to touchscreens and so on in their home lives - and everwhere they go.
No-one would want to see children's exposure to the natural world and face-to-face encounters diminished by too much use of ICT.
However, some early years settings are really adding to children's experiences with imaginative, thoughtful use of devices - supporting children to make films, to give their views about their environment by taking pictures, and to integrate ICT to enhance construction, modelling and physical activity.
The arguments are complex, as you can see from our experts, who each make compelling cases for and against early years ICT. There are no easy answers, and perhaps all practitioners can do is to be as measured and careful as possible when introducing and using ICT until we have more evidence about its effects on development.
Professor Karmiloff-Smith is part of a team carrying out an extensive study, and we will follow it with interest.
