How Kids Use Technology with Dr. Jo Bird

Stories of STEM Q

How much children are exposed to technology, and in particular how long they spend looking at screens and devices, is a heated topic. Dr. Jo Bird from the University of New England studies how young children interact with technology and how imaginative play can incorporate technology just as any other object in their environment. By working with early childhood education centres, she works to improve how kids can play with technology constructively and intentionally. She and James also talk about the growing initiatives to introduce computer coding and computational thinking to kids at younger and younger ages. New technologies in the expanding digital age will require new forms of literacy and problem-solving skills. By introducing children to computational thinking skills, we can open opportunities for children who can excel creatively and intellectually using these skills and tools.