Article Summaries

Julie West
FRIT 7235

Mawson, W. (2013). Emergent technological literacy: what do children bring to school?.
International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 23(2), 443-453.
Identification: Research
Summary: This article was a compilation of four case studies on the technological activity of 3-
4 year-olds in early childhood settings in New Zealand. The case studies were conducted over a
2-year span to show that even young children use developing mathematical and scientific
knowledge when playing. In the first three case studies, the children were observed and
recorded playing independently. According to Mawson (2013):
For or a play episode to be considered technological in nature required a clearly identified
intention on the childrens part, evidence of planning and resource collection, a recognizable
coherent process to achieve a fitting solution, and some appropriate evaluation of the
success of the outcome (p. 445).
In the last case study, the students were directed by their teachers, but the lessons were
developed through the interests of the students. This spanned over several months and allowed
for the investigation into the many aspects of the subject, whereas, the other studies were limited
to small amounts of time or as long as the childs interest was held. The findings showed that
even young children have well-developed technological knowledge and competence in
instigating and carrying out technological tasks (p. 451).
Critique: I found this article interesting in that it showed young children planning, initiating,
and carrying out tasks that they formulated. We see this in the early childhood setting almost
daily. As the article pointed out, many schools are under strict time restraints and, therefore, do
not allow children to fully complete the tasks that they set out to do. I enjoyed the way this
article showed the four studies and compared them to show the findings. As Mawson (2013)
Article Summaries
Julie West
FRIT 7235

points out, there is still a need for much more research into the interface between childhood and
early primary technological experiences of children (p. 451).
















Article Summaries
Julie West
FRIT 7235

Keengwe, J., & Onchwari, G. (2009). Technology and early childhood education: A
technology integration professional development model for practicing teachers. Early
Childhood Education Journal, 37(3), 209-218.
Identification: Professional Practice
Summary: Many educators today are either lacking in time, energy or knowledge when it
comes to the integration of technology into their lessons and their classrooms. In this article, a
dozen teachers participated in a Summer Institute project at a midwest public university. The
teachers were given opportunities to explore and interact with many different instructional tools
and technology applications. Keengwe & Onchwari (2009) found that many schools are lacking
in the technology integration when it comes to effective lessons in the classroom. They also
believe that technology integration should be based on best practices in order to make them more
effective. According to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), teachers
are expected to model and apply the National Educational Technology Standards for Students
(NETS.S) as they design, implement, and assess learning experiences to engage students and
improve learning and provide positive models for their learners (p. 211). Throughout the
Summer Institute, the teachers became more comfortable with the technology and was able to
better implement it into meaningful lessons that they could use in their classrooms.
Critique: This article really hit home with me. As a recent classroom teacher, I found it
overwhelming to do all the necessary planning, implementation, and management of a classroom
and still find the time to learn the necessary technology needed for effective lessons. The
teachers in this study were introduced to various technology instructional tools that they could
Article Summaries
Julie West
FRIT 7235

use in their classrooms. They were given the time necessary to explore and manipulate these
tools. I learned about several technology tools such as Kidspiration, Peedy, and GarageBand
through the reading of this article. I found this to be an enlightening and informative article that,
as the Media Specialist, I will put to use when I collaborate with teachers at my school this year.
















Article Summaries
Julie West
FRIT 7235

Wilcox, M. J., Campbell, P. H., Fortunato, L., & Hoffman, J. (2013). A first look at early
intervention and early childhood providers' reports of assistive technology reuse. Journal
of Special Education Technology, 28(3), 47-57.
Identification: Theory-into-Practice
Summary: This article discusses the significance of assistive technology (AT) devices and the
importance of sustaining these devices for future use with other students. These AT devices are
generally used with students in the realm of special education. Since this article focuses on the
use of these AT devices within the early childhood setting, the possibility of the students
outgrowing the devices is to be anticipated. According to the authors, lending libraries and reuse
programs have become available. The reasons for these programs stem from the following
barriers that most families experience: funding; device availability; using devices publicly; and
attitudes of early intervention providers (Wilcox, Campbell, Fortunato, Hoffman, 2013). In the
study that these authors conducted, they gathered participants and surveyed their awareness of
reuse programs. They found that the majority were not aware of AT reuse programs in their
states or areas (p. 52). It was also decided that these programs should be promoted on a wider
basis, especially in early childhood education settings.
Critique: I am currently working as the media specialist in our school and was recently asked
about finding assistive technology devices for our special education department. Particularly, I
was looking for devices to use with our Pre-K students. I found this article interesting because I
was unaware of reuse programs. This article will now enable me to search out programs that I
didnt know existed before. I agree with the authors in their findings when they stated that such
programs should be promoted more effectively.
Article Summaries
Julie West
FRIT 7235

Flannery, L. P., & Bers, M. U. (2013). Lets dance the robot hokey-pokey! Childrens
programming approaches and achievement throughout early cognitive development.
Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 46(1), 81-101.
Identification: Research
Summary: The research in this article was a part of the TangibleK Robotics Project. Based on
Piagets theory of cognitive development, this study showed a childs developmental stages in
association with programming abilities for technological advances. The 3 main stages focused
on in this study were: pre-operational; transitional; and early concrete operational. Research
also indicated that children functioned differently at each level in their approaches to
programming (p.92). The authors of this study showed that young childrens computer use
need not be synonymous with passivity or pushing down content. Instead, they focused on how
a young child thinks when given certain tasks to accomplish. Using the Hokey Pokey as the
song, the researchers assessed childrens abilities to program a mobile robot to dance. Certain
groups of children were not able to attain the goal set forth by the researchers because of their
lack cognitive development to achieve the stated goal.
Critique: This research article went to great lengths to show the different developmental stages
and how they affect a childs ability to program mobile technology. As a teacher of young
children for many years, I found it intriguing that such an amount of research was put into
showing the different levels of cognitive ability when Piaget had already differentiated the levels
long ago. I did, however, understand their reasoning in trying to determine how this thinking
could be applied to future generations of technological programmers.
Article Summaries
Julie West
FRIT 7235

McPherson, S. (2009). A dance with the butterflies: A metamorphosis of teaching and learning
through technology. Early Childhood Education Journal, 37(3), 229-236.
Identification: Theory-into-Practice
Summary: McPherson took the analogy of the metamorphosis that a butterfly goes through and
applied it to a teaching experience in a web-based collaborative project. The study used
participants from 9 states and four countries. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) allowed
teachers to analyze their traditional teaching methods and then transform or morph into better
teachers using the principles gathered. According to the researchers at the Center for Applied
Special Technologies (CAST), UDL design principles call for increased flexibility in
presentation, expression and engagement to accommodate student learning (p. 230). In order to
do this, instruction must be geared toward the following neurological networks: Recognition;
Strategic; and Affective. McPherson (2009) states educators need to understand these networks
and how their functions can be a framework for curriculum and instruction for the what, how
and why learning happens (p. 231). Through this project, teachers were able to follow the steps
aligned within the UDL and collaborate through online blogs which allowed them to make
necessary adjustments to their lesson on butterflies. They were also able to differentiate their
instruction according to the needs of their students. Just as their butterflies morphed, so did
their instruction.
Critique: After studying about UDL in my Instructional Design class this summer, I found this
article most interesting in the design implementation and the use of blogs for collaboration in
effectively differentiating the instruction of the learners. What was most intriguing was the way
the educators found creative ways to motivate and excite the many diversities that the children
brought to the study. As one teacher put it, collaborating with colleagues inspired me to take
Article Summaries
Julie West
FRIT 7235

the butterfly experience for my students into new places with technology, differentiation, and
accessibility. I, too, hope to do that in the future with my own students.



















Article Summaries
Julie West
FRIT 7235

Northrop, L., & Killeen, E. (2013). A framework for using iPads to build early literacy skills.
The Reading Teacher, 66(7), 531-537.
Identification: Professional Practice
Summary: According to the International Reading Association (2009), integration of
technology into the classroom to promote understanding of 21st century literacies is an important
curricular goal (p. 531). This article discussed the integration of iPad use in the classroom but
went on to state that little research has been done on the use of iPads and other devices such as
smartphones as technological tools (p. 532). Northrop and Killeen provide a framework for
iPad integration and take you through a step-by-step lesson teaching letter-name phonics using
the iPad. As in any instruction, it is necessary to give explicit instruction as to the concept you
want your students to attain. Once that is done, then the explanation and modeling of the App on
the iPad is required. The article goes on to discuss the importance of guidance and feedback
when incorporating technology into any lesson. Finally, there are 4 guidelines spelled out that
one must follow when using any tablet to teach early literacy.
Critique: This article repeats itself numerous times by stating the guidelines for tablet use in the
classroom. I know that this is important, but it became almost monotonous and cumbersome
reading. It also reiterated the importance of knowing an App and its capabilities explicitly before
teaching it to your students. I feel that this is a given that teachers understand when they are
planning their instruction. There are lots of technology Apps out there today and it is our job as
educators to seek out those most appropriate for our classrooms and study them exclusively
before implementing them in our classrooms.


Article Summaries
Julie West
FRIT 7235

Buzhardt, J., Walker, D., Greenwood, C. R., & Heitzman-Powell, L. (2012). Using technology to
support progress monitoring and data-based intervention decision making in early
childhood: Is there an app for that?. Focus On Exceptional Children, 44(8).
Identification: Professional Practice
Summary: In this article, the authors share the potential for technology use in reducing the
obstacles faced when employing data-based decision-making methodologies in early childhood
programs. The article explores the use of computer and web-based systems and how they can be
used to create data and drive data-based interventions in education. According to the authors
(2012), the use of data to monitor students progress and guide intervention decisions has also
been shown to improve student performance in reading (p. 3). In order for these systems to
work, there must be up-to-date technology and training in the use of these programs (p. 10). In
light of current mandates brought forth by state and federally-funded childhood programs,
systems are urged to use progress monitoring in order to collect data that will accurately show
how the programs being used are working. But, one must take into consideration that
developing an application that uses the latest cutting-edge technology does not guarantee
success without careful consideration of the context in which it is used and the purpose for which
it is intended (p. 14)
Critique: As a Title 1 school that received the Striving Readers Literacy Grant, we progress
monitor frequently using DIBELS to have the valuable data we need to show that the students
are mastering the standards. To do this effectively, we must ensure that our technology is up-to-
date and everyone has been trained in the appropriate delivery of such monitoring techniques as
the article stated. In the past, we have had to monitor our students using paper/pencil methods
Article Summaries
Julie West
FRIT 7235

and it is so much better when it can be done using the computers and advancing technology. I
believe this research is timely and will drive how progress monitoring is conducted in the future.


















Article Summaries
Julie West
FRIT 7235

Cheung, A. C., & Slavin, R. E. (2013). Effects of educational technology applications on reading
outcomes for struggling readers: A bestevidence synthesis. Reading Research Quarterly,
48(3), 277-299.
Identification: Research
Summary: The researchers of this article reviewed several articles and their findings on the
effects that technology has on the improvement of reading with struggling readers. They defined
technology as a variety of electronic tools and applications that help deliver learning content
and support the learning process (p. 279). The study was based on 3 research questions that
checked the validity of the research as well as the methodological characteristics. In order for
the studies to be included in this review they had to meet ten areas specified by the authors.
Certain criteria was the grade levels of the students as well as students in the lowest 33% of their
class in reading ability (p. 280-281). Some example of the technology reading programs
presented in this study were Read 180, Jostens, and Lexia just to name a few. The authors
concluded that:
There is no magic in the machine. What determines the effectiveness of technology
applications for struggling readers is the nature of the software, the role of the teacher, the nature
and quality of professional development and follow-up, the amount of time devoted to the
technology and non-technology parts of each approach, how these activities are placed in
students days and weeks, what activities they replace, and much more (p. 297).
Critique: I found this article to be most interesting in that we have just started implementing the
Read 180 program at our school. The authors went to great lengths that spanned many years to
research the effects of these programs on struggling readers. I found one thing that was not
mentioned in the article with which I have witnessed at our school first hand. That is the length
Article Summaries
Julie West
FRIT 7235

of time a program is implemented. We change programs so frequently and do not give them an
opportunity to work, before trying another of the latest, greatest technology programs. Overall, I
think the authors did a thorough job in their research and methodology in studying the
effectiveness of technology implementation with struggling readers. It was certainly
enlightening to me.