Beyond letters, numbers and screens: NB, technologies, numeracy and early childhood education: a report for teachers

This project investigates the combination of the new basics (NB), information technologies, and numeracy learning and teaching in the first three years of schooling. The development of pedagogies and curriculum that effectively integrate the NB, technologies and numeracy and which culminate in the production of more informed citizens goes some way towards addressing the important problem of designing new social futures (New London Group, 1996). New social and pedagogical futures are required for the 21st century and this project marks the beginning of this work in early childhood education.   The design is an exploratory case study (Yin, 2003) that investigates and documents how teachers and children enact curricula and pedagogy where the NB, IT and numeracy are classroom foci (cf. Bassey, 1999). Children and teachers were chosen from two school contexts in Years 1, 2 and 3 in Queensland. Schools were selected from those trialling the NB and recommended by Education Queensland (EQ).