ECCDD302A: Science and Technology in Early Childhood Education

This report analyzes the integration of science, technology, and engineering (STE) in Early Childhood Education (ECE). It examines contemporary planning, documentation, and assessment of STE, emphasizing its importance for effective preschool education. The report includes a literature analysis of two research papers, highlighting modern teaching methodologies and the benefits of incorporating STE into ECE curricula. The analysis focuses on how STE fosters learning skills like collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking. The report also discusses engineering design challenges in ECE and the use of integrated i-STEAM units to enhance student understanding and interest. The conclusion emphasizes the value of STE in 21st-century early-years education and its role in making the education system better.

Running Head: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
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ECCDD302A Science and Technology
(Student Details: )
2/21/2020

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Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Literature Analysis.....................................................................................................................2
Literature study 1...................................................................................................................2
Literature study 2...................................................................................................................3
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................4
References..................................................................................................................................5

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Introduction
This paper is based on researching, and analysing contemporary planning,
documenting as well as assessing science, technology, and engineering in Early Childhood
Education (ECE). The research and analysis of the role of science technology and
engineering (STE) into ECE is essentially important has it will give direction to the readers
and educators for further effectively educating pre-school children in ECE in the most
efficient manner. In doing so, the research paper will include two authentic and well-
researched literature pieces of evidence so that modern teaching methodologies can be
demonstrated effectively. The papers written by (Bustamante, Greenfield, & Nayfeld, 2018)
and (Malone, et al., 2018) are selected for narrating on the modern way of documenting,
planning, and assessing STE in the area of early childhood education.
Literature Analysis
In this context, it is worth noted that every area of development must adopt
technological innovations of this era. With the help of STE, education can further be
upgraded and made effective in all possible ways. In general, Science, Technology, and
Engineering together is a term that is often used to form all of these academic disciplines
together (Bagiati & Evangelou, 2015). In addition, STE is highly important as it permeates all
essential parts of human lives. Apart from this, STE activities in early childhood education
offer hands-on as well as minds-on lessons for the children or learners. It has been found by
the researchers that STE is used to make math and science both fun as well as very much
interesting so as to help the early childhood learners to do much more than just learn (Bagiati
& Evangelou, 2015).
Literature study 1
According to (Malone, et al., 2018), while using science and technology for better
early childhood education, there are some engineering design challenges faced by the
educators and education system. These engineering design challenges must be addressed and
resolved so that they can never affect student interests towards the study and student
cognition as well. The study conducted by (Malone, et al., 2018) has evaluated the effects of
activities like visual arts, dance and physical education on STEM (science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics) units on students’ conceptual understanding of science and

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technology. The authors have worked and found how physical education, dramatic inquiry
can be used in STEM units for better education and development. The research study has
been focused on incorporating engineering design processes into ECE. Apart from this, this
study has successfully found that such types of STEM units can be successful with the
earliest elementary grade level (Malone, et al., 2018).
With the help of this research study, it has been found that modern educators should
always be capable to nurture the interest as well as an understanding of engineering and
technology, especially at the primary educational level. In addition to that, through
implementing the above mentioned integrated i-STEAM units with younger students, early
childhood education can be leveraged with STE (Malone, et al., 2018).
Literature study 2
As mentioned by (Bustamante, Greenfield, & Nayfeld, 2018), ECE based on science
and technology always provides a prime context for further fostering approaches to learning
as well as executive functioning with eliciting children’s creativity and natural curiosity. In
addition, the authors have found that early childhood STE education is currently providing a
unique opportunity for engaging children within hands-on learning experiences which can
promote key skills (Bustamante, Greenfield, & Nayfeld, 2018). Such key skills in ECE can be
collaboration, problem-solving, critical thinking, persistence and many other adaptive
domain-general learning skills (Bustamante, Greenfield, & Nayfeld, 2018).
With this research study, it has been found that engaging a science experience as well
as designing an engineering solution to an issue, can be highly helpful for the modern early
childhood education system. It is because science and technology in ECE allow children to
make predictions and observations with their creativity and the utmost capabilities. This
research study is depicting that STE education for pre-school learners helps to better
understand the surrounding world and hence relate to it. Furthermore, this study has also
found that STE based early childhood education typically involves
familiarizing children with novel concepts with the help of technology-oriented activities and
games (Bustamante, Greenfield, & Nayfeld, 2018). In this way, the chosen literature has been
essentially helpful for the education system to make children live the concepts rather than
only studying or reading about them. Therefore, an educator can always make education
systems highly effective as well as efficient with the help of different strategies, techniques,

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and activities based on science, technology, and most importantly engineering (Bustamante,
Greenfield, & Nayfeld, 2018).
Conclusion
In whole, this research and analysis of early childhood education practice are clearly
showing that science, technology, and engineering designing and solutions have become
essential for making the whole education system better. In addition to that, this paper has
shown a well-researched discussion on contemporary planning, documenting as well as
assessing science, technology, and engineering into the field of early childhood education.
Thus, the modern education system needs are the powerful indication that STE learning is
valued as well as the prominent feature of 21st-century early-years-education all across the
globe.

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References
Bustamante, A., Greenfield, D., & Nayfeld, I. (2018). Early childhood science and
engineering: Engaging platforms for fostering domain-general learning skills.
Education sciences, 8(3), 144.
Malone, K., Tiarani, V., Irving, K., Kajfez, R., Lin, H., Giasi, T., & Edmiston, B. (2018).
Engineering Design Challenges in Early Childhood Education: Effects on Student
Cognition and Interest. European Journal of STEM Education, 3(3), 11.