The Influence of Digital Device Use on Kindergarten Students’ Engagement With Reading: But Are They Really Reading?

Abstract

<p><i>But Are They Really Reading?</i></p> <p>As we continue to experience the rapid shifts of the 21st century, particularly in relation to the e-world, the question of ownership of learning is becoming of greater significance in classrooms throughout Australia and across the world. </p> <p>The purpose of this research was to explore how early primary students are learning (student agency), how they are being explicitly taught to read, and what part digital devices play in this. This research aims to promote discussion, dialogue, and debate among early years teachers and parents as to whether the process of reading is evolving and the impact this is having on the way students learn and how they are taught to read. </p> <p>Schools today are populated with "digital natives" who access their social, knowledge, and creative networks through their devices, anytime and anywhere—oftentimes everywhere but in the classroom. Teachers' pedagogy and practice by and large remain founded in 20th-century paradigms. They espouse the language of collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and the integrated use of technology" however, there appears to be a disconnect between how teachers are teaching and how students are learning. This study sought to explore this disconnect with teachers and emergent readers (kindergarten students) through classroom observations (video and audio) and document analysis. The research question posed was "How do digital devices influence the way kindergarten students in an independent school engage with the process of reading as a component of early literacy?"</p> <p>This investigation adopted case study methodology, which is a well-established approach to qualitative educational research (Bassey, 1999" Stake, 1995). The findings revealed many examples of powerful and engaged reading on digital devices. Yet at the same time, there is clear evidence of specific change needed from regulatory authorities, software companies, and professional learning providers if digital literacy and specifically digital reading is to be taught and learned authentically by our youngest students.</p>