Explore and create: Deep-dive Creation lab 
Preregistration Required
Developing literacy is one of the most fundamental and exciting experiences in early learning. Encouraging listening, speaking, reading, and writing in learners through conversation, storytelling, song, and rhyme as well as written and symbolic language is a point of emphasis in both formal and informal settings. Opportunities to tell/retell stories, to draw/write words and ideas, and to ask questions and explain are critical elements of literacy. Many of the skills traditionally found in early literacy learning align closely with thinking and problem solving opportunities in “artificial languages”. Using symbols (letters) to communicate sounds and arrows to communicate directionality are similar processes, both offer practice and expansion of symbolic representation and thought. Giving learners new ways to play with abstract language and problem solving can provide additional positive experiences for young learners without moving away from the literacy-brain development. This process provides opportunities for high level thinking and multiple literacies to all young learners regardless of socio-economic differences and language diversities.
This session is designed to be highly active and interactive. Participants will experience learning opportunities during the session to help them think about the implications and possibilities with their young learners. Participants will experience first-hand ready-to-use ideas which combine traditional literacy with computational thinking and digital literacies, discuss possibilities for their own setting and students, and examine the possibilities technology can bring to literacy learning and vice versa. Additionally, participants will have an online site with further examples and sharing opportunities to encourage additional discussion and sharing beyond this session. Tools used will include online tools, robots, print and audio supports and apps. When specific activities are shared or done as a shared experience the presenter will share alternative ways to achieve the experience (when appropriate).
Additionally, educators who are responsible for, or interested in literacy and the meaningful use of technologies with young learners (ages 3-8 years) often find themselves feeling isolated and in the role of constant “translation” of content, approaches and materials to “fit” their setting, situation and learners’ needs. This session will provide model literacy-rich learning activities, hands-on exploration of technology tools in context of early learning, research tidbits related to literacy and young learners, and discussions around these.
Key elements of the session are:
The session will be highly interactive, providing formats and opportunities for participants to share and learn from each other as well as from the facilitator.
The session will include a range of resources, and activities which will provide active learning opportunities for participants around important literacy topics, strategies and tools. Materials, links to resources and more will be provided to participants during the session.
The session will include online tools for communicating between participants during and following the session. These will include sharing lessons learned, additional resources, evidence of “what works” and more.
The session’s success is based on what happens next for the participants. The session will be deemed successful if the participants think about and/or talk about what they tried, learned and experienced during the session. The session will be wildly successful if participants integrate one or more idea or approach in their educational setting and share their experiences back with the group.
Welcome (10 minutes):
Online Sharing of information of those in attendance (ie where they are from on an interactive map and age group of highest interest by participants vis online venn diagram tool or similar)
Introductions of Key Facilitator
Introductions of participants to each other
Session Expectations and Goals and Professional Expectations and Goals (participants via online tool)
Early Learners and Literacy - research and insight - Interactive Presentation and Tabletop activity (10 minutes)
Integrating Technologies and Paper-based Books - Hands-on experience (20 minutes)
Guided example technology experiences with children's books with debriefing discussion (table talk and group discussion) and sharing out (via online tool)
The power of a camera or two Example Activity (10 min)
Participants create images (with digital cameras) of “found items” in the room and add them to an online collection (or similar). Brief discussion about the power of digital photography follows.
Exploring Robots, Literacy and Young Learners: Higher level thinking and literacy foci with concrete examples (15 min)
Simulated robots, paper robots, actual robots, and video/images
Read Alouds: Exploring how read-alouds and technology can enhance and extend learning (15 min)
Reflection: Participants share their first ideas about their next steps (anonymously on provided online tool, or with name) Share these first ideas. 5 min
Call to Action and Evaluation (5min)
Children who are motivated to read spend more time reading (Guthrie et al., 1999; Morrow, 1992; Wigfield & Guthrie, 1997).
Reading motivation has also been linked to the development of lifelong readers (Morrow,1992; Wang & Guthrie, 2004).
Motivation may also influence the success of multiple strategy instruction (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000).
Lesnick, J., Goerge, R., Smithgall, C., & Gwynne J. (2010). Reading on grade level in third grade: How is it related to high school performance and college enrollment? Chicago, IL: Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED517805.
Turco, Rosa G., Nonie K. Lesaux, and Stephanie M. Jones. "Home literacy in the digital era: The role of mobile screen media frequency in a US state." British Journal of Educational Technology 54.2 (2023): 513-533.
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