Meaningful and equitable
participation with digital tools
happens when students
are part of a conversation.
It means that they not only
receive information from
a screen, but also create
and contribute their own
interpretations.
categorized in all four quadrants,
students as young as 4 can think
about tools that encourage more
time and thought creating something of their own. They can also
look at classmates’ creations and
talk about what they like or what
they could add. If advertisements
or sponsor information is embedded within the digital tools,
explicit conversations about “
trying to make you buy things” can
foster media awareness.
Students are truly participating
with digital tools when they can
synthesize information, contribute
texts as part of a wider digital conver-
sation, and receive feedback. While
most tech tools are interactive, not all
offer students the opportunity to do
these things fully. To ensure that your
students can participate fully, critically
examine the tools that you provide in
your classroom.
Meghan McCarthy Welch
is a PhD candidate in the De-
partment of Early Childhood
Education at Georgia State
University. Previously a pre-
kindergarten teacher and
public broadcasting and
media specialist for early education, she
works with PK teachers in Georgia to
implement online assessments.
Caitlin McMunn Dooley, PhD,
is an associate professor in the
Early Childhood Education
Department at Georgia State
University. Her research inves-
tigates literacy instruction and
testing in elementary grades,
learning technologies, and teacher development.
