Digital technologies refer to technologies such as online resources, programmes, apps, and tools. For example, laptops, tablets, digital cameras, microscopes, and mobile phones. Some early learning services will often use apps for creating movies, recording outings and events, and practising digital skills.   

Digital learning is any type of learning that uses technology. It can happen anywhere and at any time. Not all digital learning supports the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki. Kaiako need to be critical and intentional in their use of digital technologies to ensure tamariki use them in healthy and safe ways. For example, the type and length of time tamariki use digital technologies and whether the app encourages creativity or skill and drill. 

Nurturing digital citizenship can support tamariki to confidently conduct themselves when connecting to people, resources, and information in real-world contexts here in Aotearoa New Zealand and across the wider global community. 

Tamariki born this century are born into a world of technology and digital interconnectivity. Many kaiako are confident users of technology, but for others the digital world is less familiar. 

When using digital technology in a service, kaiako have a responsibility to practise digital citizenship and to model cyber safety practices themselves. This involves keeping up-to-date with changes in digital technologies and their associated cyber safety implications, for example, checking web links before using them with tamariki.  

Kaiako who take this responsibility seriously develop informed policies and procedures that help protect children, family, and kaiako. Engaging in conversations with whānau around their approach to technology is an important part of this.  

For further information on cyber safety, visit Netsafe NZ.

Digital literacy and digital fluency 

Digital literacy and digital fluency are two concepts used to describe the knowledge and dispositions learners need to acquire in the process of becoming capable and confident users of digital technologies. 

• Digital literacy – builds on traditional literacy learning. It involves learning about how to use digital technologies and what to do with them. 
• Digital fluency – includes digital literacy but is more than technical proficiency. It includes many social and dispositional skills necessary to use digital technologies wisely, safely, and respectfully. A digitally fluent person can choose when and articulate why a specific digital technology will achieve a particular purpose. 

Developing digital fluency is important for both children and adults. This is because today, more than any other period in time, information is unfiltered, abundant, and freely available.  

Early childhood is an optimal time to start developing competencies (such as thinking critically and evaluating) that are necessary for making sense of large amounts of information. 

Useful resources 

• See Materials that come with this resource to download Digital technologies & Hangarau Matihiko – How this links to ECE (.pdf).
  The Early Childhood Council publication Swings and Roundabouts included this article about digital technologies in its Summer 2017 edition (used with permission by the Early Childhood Council). 
• Kei Tua o Te Pae – Book 20
  This resource outlines a repertoire of practices afforded by digital technologies and provides several assessment examples. 
• Enabling e-Learning – Digital Citizenship
  This provides a succinct summary of digital citizenship through print, graphics, and video. 
• Recognising the potential of ICT in early childhood education – UNESCO
  This report has a comprehensive introduction which summarises the international literature at the time it was written (2010). It also provides "snapshots of practice". 

How well the inclusion of digital technologies in early childhood services helps children towards digital fluency will depend on the thoughtfulness of kaiako.  

It is ultimately people (kaiako) and not the tools that determine whether digital technology use is positive or detrimental to learning. When kaiako use the service’s philosophy and values to guide local curriculum decision-making, they are taking into account the aspirations of the tamariki, whānau, iwi, and community.