"It's about the relationships that we build": iPad-supported relational pedagogy (Ngā Hononga) with young children

Abstract

Although iPads have gained much attention and are being increasingly adopted into educational practices, concerns exist as to the suitability and extent of their use with and by young children. This chapter reports on the findings of a qualitative study exploring iPad use in the sustaining and extending of relationships in an early childhood education and care centre in New Zealand. Guided by the notion of a relational pedagogy, espoused in Te Whāriki, the New Zealand early childhood curriculum, the research involved collaborations with two early childhood teachers and children at the centre to obtain perspectives of teachers, young children and their parents/caregivers regarding iPad adoption and use. The findings highlight the potential of using iPads to support and further develop young children’s relationships with people, places and objects within their immediate contexts, which are underpinned importantly by a clear teacher awareness, adoption of and being informed by a relational pedagogy perspective. This has implications for how teachers can be supported to use the iPad to create meaningful and relevant teaching and learning experiences for and with young children.