Exploring Key Issues in Early Childhood and Technology

Exploring Key Issues in Early Childhood and Technology offers early childhood allies, both in the classroom and out, a cutting-edge overview of the most important topics related to technology and media use in the early years. In this powerful resource, international experts share their wealth of experience and unpack complex issues into a collection of accessibly written essays. This text is specifically geared towards practitioners looking for actionable information on screen time, cybersafety, makerspaces, coding, computational thinking, STEM, AI and other core issues related to technology and young children in educational settings. Influential thought leaders draw on their own experiences and perspectives, addressing the big ideas, opportunities and challenges around the use of technology and digital media in early childhood. Each chapter provides applications and inspiration, concluding with essential lessons learned, actionable next steps and a helpful list of recommended further reading and resources. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to explore what we know - and what we still need to know - about the intersection between young children, technology and media in the digital age.

Chip Donohue, Ph.D., is Founding Director of the Technology in Early Childhood (TEC) Center at Erikson Institute, where he served as Dean of Distance Learning and Continuing Education between 2009 and 2018. He is a Senior Fellow and Advisor of the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children's Media at Saint Vincent College.

1. Media and Marriage: "From this day forward, for better or for worse" 2. Five Things that Haven't Changed (Much) 3. Fred Rogers: The Media Mentor We Need to Navigate the Digital Age 4. Smart Phones and Tablets and Kids-Oh My, Oh My 5. When the technology disappears 6. Seeing is Believing: Racial Diversity in Children's Media 7. Claiming Rights and Righting Wrongs: Children's Rights in the Digital Environment 8. Child-Centered Design: Integrating Children's Rights and Ethics into the Heart of the Design Process 9. Digital Play 10. Coding as Another Language: Why Computer Science in Early Childhood Should Not Be STEM 11. Personalized Education and Technology: How Can We Find an Optimal Balance? 12. Makerspaces in the Early Years: Enhancing Digital Literacy and Creativity 13. Mobile Media and Parent-Child Interaction 14. No Surprise: Families Matter in Digital-based Learning 15. A Mission for Media Mentors: Creating Critical Thinkers 16. Digesting the iScreen Decade: What Should Media Makers, Policymakers and Philanthropy Do Next? 17. Childhood 2040 - A Wishlist