The debate: should young children use ICT in ECE?

The debate: should young children use ICT in ECE?
The role of ICT in early childhood education is controversial topic. Researchers, educators and parents have concerns about potential benefits or harm to young children. Both critics and proponents agree on the importance of the early years is a child’s physical, social-emotional, language and cognitive development. Much of the controversery revolves around the specific needs of young children, and whether ICT can support those needs, or will take away from essential developmental experiences. So, what research says about ICT integration and child development? The benefits and drawbacks of young children’s ICT use.
First: Areas of concerns about children’s ICT use
Detractors suggest that ICT has certain disadvantages, express safety concerns with respect to integration of ICT in early childhood education and warn of several perceived risks in this area. What are they?

Critically evaluate the literature in terms of the areas of concerns about children’s use of ICT. Please consider covering the following areas when evaluating the literature review:
1. Concerns about harmful physical effects;
2. The negative impacts on children’s learning, cognitive, social and emotional development (e.g. concerns that ICT use will encourage anti-social behaviour, including isolation or aggressive behaviour);
3. Concerns about children’s exposure to harmful or unsuitable content (e.g. material of a sexual or violent nature); and
4. Concerns about ICT displacing other important learning and play activities.

Note: please use the above listed areas as subtitles under the main title Areas of concerns about children’s use of ICT.
Second: Advantages of ICT use in early childhood education
On the other hand, proponents suggest that children should have the advantages that new technologies can offer. Critically evaluate the literature in relation to how ICT can support child development and early learning (the potential advantages of using ICT in ECE). Please consider discussing the following areas when evaluating the literature review:
1. ICT and children’s play (What research says about the role and potential value of ICT in terms of children’s play?)
Play is considered an important dimension of early childhood education, as part of children’s social, emotional, cognitive learning, and motor development. The literature supports several different ideas about the role and potential value of ICT in terms of children’s play. Children should begin to learn about ICT (what it is, how it works, and the roles it plays in their own and other people’s lives) as well as learning through ICT. Play is seen to be important aspect of both of these kinds of learning.
2. Using ICT to support language development;
3. Using ICT to support mathematical, thinking and problem solving skills;
4. Using ICT to support social and emotional development;
5. Using ICT to support children from diverse cultural or language backgrounds;
6. Using ICT to develop controlling and planning skills;
7. Using ICT to support children with special learning needs; and
8. Show some of the ways in which ICT can be part of ECE by providing examples derived from the literature review.

Note: please use the above listed areas as subtitles under the main title the potential advantages of using ICT in ECE.
Format style:
Language: English (United Kingdom)
Font: use Arial for titles and subtitles. For main text Times New Roman
Font size: 16 for titles 14 subtitles and 12 for main text
Line spacing: 1.5 and 18pt space after paragraph

Reference style: Harvard


Note:
Please use research studies and reviews that are published in last ten years (2003 -2013). Referencing some old studies is possible when essential such as referring to theories or reviews.
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