Toward Defining
Digital Literacy in
Early Childhood
Elizabeth R. Kazakoff
TOWARD DEFINING DIGITAL
LITERACY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
Elizabeth R. Kazakoff, M.Ed.
EETC
March 14, 2012
EETC 2012 - E.Kazakoff
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http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/EtcherFlay/78813
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OUTLINE
Background
 Digital Literacy
 Early Childhood Development
Concepts & Theories
 Proposed Model
 Two “Best” Current Models
 ScratchJr
 Scratch Pilot Examples
 In Sum
 Questions

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TECHNOLOGY USE
Computers
Common Sense Media, 2011
 90
 52%
of 0 – 8 yr olds
have access to a
“smart” device
(Common Sense Media, 2011)
 46%
5 to 8 years olds –
once/week
 Average
yrs old
1st use = 3.5
 29%
of parents
downloaded apps for
kids (Common Sense Media, 2011)
 72%
of the top-selling
ED apps target PreK or
elementary (Shuler, 2012) 5
EETC 2012 - E.Kazakoff
% of 5 to 8 years
used
 53% 2 to 4 year olds
“Smart” Devices &
Apps
TECHNOLOGY USE
(A CLOSER LOOK)
Comparisons of Low-Income & HighIncome Digital Device Use
91%
48%
47%
34%
10%
17%
2%
38%
14%
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100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Low-Income
<$30K
High-Income
>$75K
3%
Data from (Common Sense Media, 2011)
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DIGITAL NATIVES
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A Few Examples:
21st
Century
Literacy
ICT
Literacy
Technology
Literacy
Fan
Fiction
Writing
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Computer
Literacy
New Media
Literacy
Video
Gaming
Chat
Rooms
&
Message
Boards
Knobel & Lankshear, 2007; Coiro, Knobel, Lankshear, & Leu 2008; Jenkins, 2006
Blogging
Social
Network
-ing
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DEFINITIONS OF DIGITAL LITERACY OVER TIME
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Digital literacy is…
“The ability to understand and use information in
multiple formats from a wide range of sources when
it is presented via computers (Paul Gilster, 1997, p. 1).”
“A set of habits through which children use computer
technology for learning, work, socializing, and fun
(Ba, Tally, Tsikalas, 2002, p.1).”
“Different ways of using digital tools within different
sorts of sociocultural practices (James Paul Gee, 2010, p.
172).”
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DEFINITIONS OF DIGITAL LITERACY

Digital literacy is “an evergrowing assortment of
technical, cognitive, and sociological skills that
are necessary in order to perform and solve
problems in digital environments. (Eshet-Alkalai
& Amichai-Hamburger, 2004).”
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
“Digital and media literacy for young children
means having critical viewing, listening, and
Web-browsing skills (NAEYC, 2012, p. 9).”
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DIGITAL LITERACY
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“The discourse on this important subject has been practiceoriented, and lacks a sound integrative framework and
theoretical foundation (n.p.).”
~ Aviram and Eshet-Alkalai (2006)
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DEVELOPMENTAL CONCEPTS & THEORIES
TIED TO DIGITAL LITERACY
Cognitive
Relational
Developmental
Systems
Perspective
Linguistic
SocialEmotional
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SocialCultural
Motor
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References: Gutnick, A. L., Robb, M., Takeuchi, L., & Kotler, J., 2010; PBS, 2010; Bers & Kazakoff, in press; Clements,
1999; Liao & Bright, 1991; Clements, 1986; Miller & Emilhovich, 1986; Klahr & Carver, 1988; Salomon & Perkins, 1987;
Degelman, Free, Scarlato, Blackburn, & Golden, 1986; Overton & Mueller, in press; Overton, 2010
PROPOSED MODEL
CONCEPTS AND THEORIES OF
EARLY CHILDHOOD
DEVELOPMENT
Bers
Positive
Technological
Development
EETC 2012 - E.Kazakoff
Eshet-Alkali
Digital
Literacy
Framework
Digital Literacy
in Early
Childhood
(Kazakoff)
In Progress
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A Conceptual Model
of Digital Literacy
Positive Technological
Development
Yoram Eshet-Alkalai & Colleagues
Marina Bers
Cognitive






Competence


Confidence


Communication
Contribution

References
•Eshet-Alkalai, 2004
•Eshet-Alkalai & Amichai-Hamburger, 2004
•Aviram & Eshet-Alkalai, 2006
•Eshet-Alkalai & Chajut, 2009
Collaboration
Connection


Choices of Conduct
Caring


Creativity
Character


Content Creation
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
Photovisual Literacy
Reproduction Literacy
Branching Literacy
Information Literacy
Socio-Emotional
Literacy
Real-time Thinking
Skills
Personal-Social/Social-Cultural
Community Building
References
•Bers, 2007; 2010; 2012
•Bers, Lynch, & Chau, Forthcoming
•Lerner, et. al, 2005
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Began Late Summer 2011
MIT Lifelong Kindergarten + Tufts DevTech + Playful Invention Company
Targeted Outcomes
Foundational Knowledge
Problem-Solving Skills
Discipline-Specific Knowledge
Current State
Regular Scratch Assessment in ECE – Fall 2011
Initial ScratchJr Interface in development - Ongoing
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Goals
Developmentally appropriate interface
Embedded library of curricular modules
Online resources and community
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FALL 2011 PILOT
Lab School

8 -PreK, 19 - K, 16 -1st/2nd

4 – 30 min sessions (3 PreK)

Evaluate interface use across multiple dimensions (0 – 5 scale)

Example:
Session 2
PreK1
K2
1st/2nd
Item Average
Use the mouse to target and click
Click and drag to snap blocks together
Click and drag to separate blocks
Highlight and retype a parameter
Find a given block (by its text label)
Find a given palette
Drag & drop a block onto workspace
Block-action correspondence
Use knowledge of number size
Use different blocks to program the cat
Make multi-step programs
Use the start block instead of Run button
Identify the programmable object
Understanding the uses of various areas
Grade-Average
3.11
1.00
1.33
2.00
---4.00
-1.11
1.50
-4.00
2.27
2.26
3.68
3.38
3.14
3.50
0.83
0.60
2.83
4.00
3.60
3.62
3.29
2.55
4.00
2.94
3.00
3.90
4.00
3.77
3.75
3.27
3.40
3.57
3.00
3.40
3.50
3.50
4.00
4.00
4.00
3.65
3.57
2.79
2.75
3.08
2.05
2.00
3.20
3.67
3.50
2.74
2.76
3.27
4.00
3.07
3.03
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
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EXAMPLE: TOOL USE
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EXAMPLE: PERSONAL RELEVANCE
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EXAMPLE: HOLIDAY INTEGRATION
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EXAMPLE: MYSTERY SPRITE EXPLOSION
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EXAMPLE: GROW/SHRINK
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EXAMPLE: BIG NUMBERS
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IN SUM…
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COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, FEEDBACK
Web
ase.tufts.edu/devtech
Twitter
@tuftsdevtech
@elizabeth_kaz
EETC 2012 - E.Kazakoff
Email
Elizabeth.Kazakoff @tufts.edu
devtech@tufts.edu
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THANK YOU!
REFERENCES
Aviram, R., Eshet-Alkalai, Y. (2006). Towards a theory of digital literacy: three
scenarios for the next steps. European Journal of Open Distance E-Learning. Retrieved from
www.eurodl.org=materials=contrib=2006=Aharon_Aviram.htm
Ba, H., Tally, W., & Tsikalas, K. (2002). Investigating children’s emerging digital literacies. Journal of Technology, Learning,
and Assessment, 1(4), 1 – 49.
Bers, M. (2007). Positive technological development: Working with computers, children, and the internet. MassPsych,51(1),
5-7, 18-19.
Bers, M.U. (2012). Designing Digital Experiences for Positive Youth Development: From playpen to playground. New York,
NY: Oxford University Press.
Bers, M. & Kazakoff, E. (in press). Developmental technologies: Technology and human development. In R.M. Lerner, M.A.
Easterbrooks, & J. Mistry (Eds.), Handbook of psychology: Vol. 6. Developmental psychology (2nd ed.) Hoboken, NJ:
Wiley.
Bers, Lynch, & Chau, Forthcoming. Positive technological development: The multifaceted nature of youth technology use
towards improving self and society. In C. C. Ching & B. Foley (Eds.), Technology, learning, and identity: Research on the
development and exploration of selves in a digital world. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
EETC 2012 - E.Kazakoff
Bers, M.U. (2010). Beyond computer literacy: Supporting youth’s positive development through technology. New Directions
for Youth Development, 128, 13 - 23.
Clements, D. H. (1999). The future of educational computing research: the case of computer programming. Information
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Coiro, J. Knobel, M., Lankshear, C, Leu, D.J. (2008). (Eds) Handbook of Research on New Literacies. New York, NY:
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Degelman, D., Free, J.U., Scariato, M., Blackburn, J.M., & Goldent, T. (1986). Concept learning in preschool children: Effects
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Eshet-Alkalai ,Y. (2004). Digital literacy: A conceptual framework for survival skills in the digital era. Journal of Educational
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Eshet-Alkalai, Y. (2009). Changes over time in digital literacy. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 12(6): 713-715.
Eshet-Alkalai, Y., Amichai-Hamburger Y. (2004). Experiments with digital literacy. Cyber Psychology & Behavior, 7, 425–
34.
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REFERENCES CONTINUED
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FCC (2010). National Broadband Plan. Retrieved from http://www.broadband.gov/downloadPlan/
Gee, J.P. (2010). A situated-sociocultural approach to litearcy and technology. In E.A. Baker (Ed.) The New Literacies:
Multiple perspectives on research and practice (pp. 165 – 189). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Gilster, P. (1997). Digital Literacy. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Gutnick, A. L., Robb, M., Takeuchi, L., & Kotler, J. (2010). Always connected: The new digital media habits of young
children. New York: The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop.
Jenkins, H. (2006). Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for he 21st Century. Chicago, IL:
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Klahr, D. & Carver, S. (1988). Cognitive objectives in a LOGO debugging curriculum: Instruction, learning, and transfer.
Cognitive Psychology 20, 362-404.
Knobel, M., & Lankshear, C. (Eds). (2007). A New Literacies Sampler. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing.
Lerner, R., Lerner, J., Almerigi, J., Theokas, C., Phelps, E., Gestsdottir, S., et al. (2005). Positive youth development,
participation in community youth development programs, and community contributions of fifth-grade adolescents:
Findings from the first wave of the 4-H study of positive youth development. Journal of Early Adolescence, 25(1), 17-71.
Liao, Y-K., & Bright, G. (1991). Effects of computer-assisted instruction and computer programming on cognitive outcomes:
A meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 7, 251-268.
Miller, G. E., & Emilhovich, C. (1986). The effects of mediated programming instruction on preschool children’s selfmonitoring. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 2, 283 – 297.
NAEYC & Fred Rogers (2012). Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children
from Birth through Age 8. Retrieve from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PS_technology_WEB2.pdf
Overton, W. F. (2010). Life-span development: Concepts and issues. In R.M.Lerner (Ed). Handbook of life-span
development (pp. 1-29). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
PBS (2010). Netiquette. Digital Nation: Life on the virtual frontier. Retrieved from
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/digitalnation/learning/schools/netiquette.html?play
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, Digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), n.p. NCB University Press.
Salomon, G. & Perkins, D.N. (1987). Transfer of cognitive skills from programming: When and how? Journal of Educational
Computing Research 3,149-169.
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