A rich body of research supports the understanding that outdoor nature-based experiences can promote young children's learning and development. Some research also indicates that technology, when used appropriately, can support young children's learning. This paper provides a research-based overview of the benefits of both technology and outdoor learning for young children and then offers some recommendations for early childhood teacher educators on how to guide teachers on integrating the two.
Research on the use of technology and screen media devices for early childhood education (ECE) outlines both benefits and risks. Specific cognitive benefits include enhanced attention, concentration, motivation, persistence in learning, as well as higher levels of problem-solving skills and reasoning. Social-emotional benefits include collaborative engagement, joint attention, partner problem solving, prosocial behaviors, and the development of friendships. Academic benefits include enhanced literacy and language skills, improved science abilities, mathematics skills, and technology knowledge. The benefits associated with technology use, however, aren't attributed to technology alone. Other factors – including adult support, attention to content, and time limitations –also play important roles in how the use of technology benefits young children. Risks involved must also be considered. These risks include diminished impulse control, self-regulation, mental flexibility, physical activity, and psychosocial wellbeing. The greatest risks apply to children under the age of three.
Outdoor learning for young children consists of both structured and free play opportunities to engage in discovery, experimentation, and inquiry. Documented benefits include improved physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development, as well as enhanced academic learning and environmental stewardship.
The information presented in this review indicates that technology and outdoor learning have the potential to foster positive developmental outcomes and learning in young children and that teachers would do well to integrate both into their teaching practices. Guidelines presented in this paper offer a framework for doing so in a developmentally appropriate way. Some guidelines apply specifically to the use of technology with young children; some to outdoor learning. Other guidelines address ways to balance the use of technology with outdoor learning practices. “As virtual environments are needed at times (e.g., for the current COVID-19 global pandemic or to support children who are unable to be a part of a classroom environment), the balance of technology and outdoor experiences becomes even more critical as ECE professionals and families work to make the best of challenging situations.”
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