Intersecting Spaces in Early Childhood Education: Inquiry-Based Pedagogy and Tablets

Abstract

This paper is situated within our wider ethnographic study that explored young children's literacy meaning making experiences before and after tablets were introduced into five early childhood educational settings.  In this paper, we explore pedagogical and learning implications of tablets in early childhood classrooms as well as intersections between inquiry and mobile technologies.  We discuss current literature related to mobile media in early years education and inquiry-based learning, then detail our ethnographic methodology used to examine opportunities for intersecting inquiry-based pedagogies and tablets.  Findings are then related to the five phases of the inquiry process (ask, observe, wonder; explore, investigate, experiment; analyze, create, play, construct new understanding; discuss, collaborate; and reflect, share, and feedback).  We conclude by briefly highlighting some of the limiting factors of intersecting inquiry-based pedagogies and technology, and suggest ways of overcoming or circumventing such limitations so that 21st century early years classrooms can support inquiry-based pedagogical approaches.