Digital play is a pedagogical construct used in early childhood to explain young children's engagement with technologies. Digital play draws upon theories of play to explain young children's learning with technologies. This paper proposes the further development of digital play by examining how the digital aspect of digital play may also be…

With a growing number of ScratchJr usage, over 19 million users worldwide, we examined the use in the United States of the free ScratchJr programming language, explicitly designed for young children ages 5-7, to learn how to code. Our objective was to explore children's usage of the ScratchJr tablet app at home and school settings. We analyzed…

Computational Thinking (CT) is essential for developing creativity, problem-solving, and digital competence in the 21st century. Coding tools like robotic toys and tablet apps have become popular in early childhood education to support CT development, but there is a debate on which tool is more effective. Little evidence exists on the effect of…

Parents recognize that most children today are keenly interested in technology and often prefer working in ways that use a variety of media and other forms of communication that are different than the way many children learned even a decade before. Many young learners look for ways to include technology in all aspects of their learning, ranging…

We present research that explored digital coding in an Australian early years learning centre and how it impacted on a focus group of 3 and 4-year-old children's creativity. The questions that guided the design experimental method were: (1) how do young children develop and demonstrate creativity when learning through play with digital coding…

Researchers and educators have advocated computational thinking (CT) should be integrated into K-12 settings as early as elementary schools. However, there has been a lack of knowledge of how pre-service K-8 teachers would be engaged in the learning of CT and its integration in different subject areas. In this study, we taught a flipped learning…

This book brings together a collection of work from around the world in order to consider effective STEM, robotics, mobile apps education from a range of perspectives. It presents valuable perspectives--both practical and theoretical--that enrich the current STEM, robotics, mobile apps education agenda. As such, the book makes a substantial…

A breakthrough in the development of online learning occurred with the utilization of Learning Management Systems (LMS) as a tool for creating, distributing, tracking, and managing various types of educational and training material. Since the appearance of the first LMS, major technological enhancements transformed this tool into a powerful…

Computational thinking is an important and necessary way of thinking for computer programmers and other professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Research on emerging practices around computational thinking that is developed through coding initiatives in schools reports that elementary children typically learn how…

The purpose of this study is to examine the use of a Vending Machine applet as a cognitive root for the development of preservice teachers understanding of function. The applet was designed to purposefully problematize common misconceptions associated with the algebraic nature of typical function machines. Findings indicated affordances and…

QR codes are two-dimensional square patterns that are capable of coding information that ranges from web addresses to links to YouTube video. The codes save time typing and eliminate errors in entering addresses incorrectly. These codes make learning with technology easier for students and motivationally engage them in news ways.

As a nation of immigrants with diverse cultures and nationalities, one of the most striking occurrences in the United States educational system is the rapidly increasing enrollment of English Language Learners (ELLs). In view of their multicultural backgrounds, the multiliteracies education of ELLs is intertwined with their diverse socioeconomic,…

Background: College students experience weight gain that can contribute to serious health issues. Health education efforts with college students are increasingly utilizing new technologies. Smartphone applications (apps) in particular are growing in popularity and use in all young adults. Purpose: Formative research was conducted to describe how…

This exploratory study was conducted to describe how children and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are currently using iPads® and applications, to explore the role of education professionals on iPad® and application use, and to determine potential research needs regarding iPad® use in children with ASD. Naturalistic observations…

Technology continues to shift the definition of what it means to be literate. As literacy educators in teacher preparation programs, we must consider how emerging and mobile technology may be used within coursework to not only create multiple ways to conceptualize teaching 21st century literacy, but also as a professional imperative. This article…