ECE334 DIGITAL LITERACY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS
| Course Code: | 4110334 |
| METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): | 3 (3.00 - 0.00) |
| ECTS Credit: | 5.0 |
| Department: | Early Childhood Education |
| Language of Instruction: | English |
| Level of Study: | Undergraduate |
| Course Coordinator: | Assoc.Prof.Dr. VOLKAN ŞAHİN |
| Offered Semester: | Spring Semesters. |
Course Objectives
For many young children, family and community life is intertwined with digital technology. Despite this, for early childhood educators, the process of integrating digital technologies into classroom practice raises a number of issues and tensions. The primary aim for this course is to assist early childhood teacher candidates to explore their perspectives on digital technologies within their personal and professional lives, and of children’s use of digital technologies within and outside educational settings. Students will discover how digital literacy is framed in early years settings and ways to use digital technologies in purposeful, interest-driven ways. Teachers’ roles in providing equal access to digital technologies for children will also be discussed.
Course Content
Assisting early childhood teacher candidates to explore their perspectives on digital technologies within their personal and professional lives, and of childrens use of digital technologies within and outside educational settings. Study of how digital literacy is framed in early years settings and ways to use digital technologies in purposeful, interest-driven ways. Teachers roles in providing equal access to digital technologies for children.
Course Learning Outcomes
Throughout the course lectures, activities and assignments students will:
-Study the definition of digital literacy.
-Survey the many digital applications that can be utilized in early education settings.
-Examine the web 2.0 tools.
-Review current issues and concerns regarding teaching digital literacy to young children.
-Review the best practices of digital literacy in early education settings.
-Investigate the ways to develop and implement effective pedagogy to stimulate young children’s motivation and interest in learning through diverse digital platforms.
-Review the issues and concerns regarding digital ethics.
Program Outcomes Matrix
| Level of Contribution | |||||
| # | Program Outcomes | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1 | To have the knowledge about 0-72 month old children's cognitive, motor, language, social and emotional development and self help skills and to be able to make applications to support this area. | ✔ | |||
| 2 | To be able to take measures for the protection of children's health. | ✔ | |||
| 3 | To know the importance of game in pre-school education and to support the education and development of the child through play. | ✔ | |||
| 4 | To recognize the pre-school education institutions in the scope of the purpose, structure and functioning of the Turkish education system. | ✔ | |||
| 5 | To have information about classroom management approaches to be used in educational environments and to effectively implement these approaches. | ✔ | |||
| 6 | To have information about international programs that are applied in the field of pre-school education and to use these programs' aspects that are appropriate to our culture in classroom practice. | ✔ | |||
| 7 | To be able to conduct research in the field of pre-school education and analyze and interpret research findings. | ✔ | |||
| 8 | To be able to prepare, implement and evaluate Turkish, science, math, art, music, movement, games, reading and writing preparation and field trip activities that support different areas of development (cognitive, motor, language, self-care, social and emotional) of pre-school children and can be planned as individual, small group, large group and integrated groups. | ✔ | |||
| 9 | To be able to use and to allow students to use audio-visual teaching materials appropriate for pre-school age children for their development. | ✔ | |||
| 10 | To be able to take responsibility and to fulfill these responsibilities in individual and group work. | ✔ | |||
| 11 | To understand the importance of family involvement in children's education and to plan activities related to family involvement. | ✔ | |||
| 12 | To have knowledge about literary genres prepared for pre-school children and to examine existing publications in terms of literary and artistic perspectives. | ✔ | |||
| 13 | To have knowledge about the importance and purpose of the use of formal and informal assessment methods appropriate for the age level and developmental level of pre-school children, and to apply and interpret different evaluation methods and to be able to interpret findings. | ✔ | |||
| 14 | To be able to follow/access, understand and question scientific publications for pre-school education. | ✔ | |||
0: No Contribution 1: Little Contribution 2: Partial Contribution 3: Full Contribution