Role of peer scaffolding in developing preschool children’s multiliteracy practices through the use of iPads

Nicole Jamison, Anna Kirova

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference proceeding contributionpeer-review

Abstract

The advancement of technology has impacted the modes, media, and concept of literacy. Mobile devices, including iPads, tablets and smart phones, are embedded in the everyday experiences of many young children. Educators and researchers need to understand the complex and multifaceted relationships between home and school literacy experiences in order to support the development of a literacy curriculum that better acknowledge the changing contexts of children’s literacies. This paper will explore the findings from a four-month qualitative intrinsic case study that examined preschool children’s multiliteracy and technology practices as they engaged in inquiry projects. The study was generally grounded in Vygotsky’s (1978) socio-cultural theory of learning and particular attention was given to the role of adults and more capable peers in scaffolding children’s learning within their zone of proximal development (ZPD). During the period of the study the importance of teacher and peer scaffolding emerged as significant themes. Teacher scaffolding techniques supported the children’s use of iPads, which resulted in the children acquiring higher levels of technological skills, and creating multimodal texts at a higher independent level of performance as the puppet and dinosaur inquiry projects progressed. This presentation will focus on instances of peer scaffolding that emerged from the children’s ongoing use of iPads and creation of multimodal texts. These include cooperating (i.e. peer tutoring) with more capable peers as well as cooperation with equally capable peers on literacy tasks that required knowledge and skills to utilize iPads. This study offers parents, teachers, educational researchers and policy makers insights into how young children may be engaged in and scaffolded in their multiliteracy practices prior to formal schooling.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 14th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Education (HICE)
Place of PublicationHonolulu, HI
PublisherHawaii International Conference on Education
Pages1519-1539
Number of pages21
Publication statusPublished - 2016
Externally publishedYes
EventAnnual Hawaii International Conference on Education (14th : 2016) - Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, Honolulu, United States
Duration: 3 Jan 20166 Jan 2016

Publication series

NameHawaii International Conference on Education
ISSN (Electronic)1541-5880

Conference

ConferenceAnnual Hawaii International Conference on Education (14th : 2016)
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityHonolulu
Period3/01/166/01/16

Keywords

  • iPads
  • peer scaffolding
  • zone of proximal development
  • preschool
  • multiliteracies

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