Developing early learners' creativity and collaboration using iPads

Continuing developments in technology and consequent societal changes have been accompanied by calls for education to emphasise 21st century competencies such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. These competencies are reflected in the general capabilities of the Australian Curriculum and are to be developed across all learning areas. The study from which this paper is drawn investigated how teachers might use iPads to support development of creativity and collaboration in an early primary classroom. The study used primarily observational methods to describe the pedagogical practices of a teacher working in a shared teaching arrangement with 25 Year 2 students and access to 6 iPads. The focus was on discovering and describing effective approaches to enhancing creativity and collaboration in young learners. Results suggest that learning activities using iPads can be successful in separately developing creativity and collaboration among early learners but that learners were less likely to manifest both creativity and collaboration in the same activity. Implications of the findings are discussed.