Technology use in early childhood education: a review of the literature

Abstract

An overview of research into the impact of technology use on learning and engagement for children aged 3-6 in early childhood education settings from 2004-2014 is presented. Previous efforts to synopsize the literature have not been undertaken since 2009, and thus there was a clear need for a current review of the research. Thirty peer-reviewed articles, selected from an extensive search of the literature, are organized and discussed by topic. Methodological concerns include sample sizes, reliability and validity of data collection tools, pedagogy and basic design issues. Key findings indicate that 94% of results reported in the studies show a positive impact of technology use.