Delivering STEAM in the Early Years

About This Resource

This discussion between Dr. Neelam Parmar, Jan Dubiel, and Dr. Caroline Cohrssen explores the main challenges in delivering STEAM successfully in early years settings.

This team of experts explores strategies and approaches by discussing the following questions:

What would you identify as the main challenges in delivering STEM successfully in EY settings? What are the best strategies/approaches for addressing these?

As technology changes rapidly and children in EY are ‘digital natives, ’ what do you think the expectations for their knowledge and skills should be at different stages?

Much of effective Early Years provision is reliant on the symbiosis between adult-led and child-led episodes of learning; how do you think this translates practically with STEM?

Based on the paper of Young Children and Digital Technologies policy statement by Early Childhood Education, what is your view on children using digital technologies in education - how and in what ways do you see the use of technology benefit young children?

There are advocates who suggest that young children should not have access to screens due to the detrimental effects on health e.g., vision, emotion, sleep, posture, inactivity, etc. What are your thoughts on this? Is there any practical guidance you can offer here?

Can you expand the concept of digital play - what does this look like in school, and what could this look like at home?

With digital play as an important aspect in growth and development, how does this translate into digital pedagogy? What does this look like in STEM-STEAM in ECE when teachers facilitate instruction with technology?

About the Speakers

Dr Neelam Parmar

Director of Digital Learning and Education, AISL

Dr. Neelam Parmar is Director of Digital Learning and Education for AISL. She is an award-winning professional, international researcher, author, thought leader and speaker for the use of educational technology, digital pedagogy and innovative curriculum within education. A highly experienced leader in Digital Education, Neelam has engaged with the UK Department of Education (DfE) EdTech Leadership Group, national EdTech Impact workshops, The @womenEd_Tech movement and is also a judge for the global renowned Bett Awards Show.

Prior to joining AISL, Neelam worked as Director of Digital Learning and Innovation at Ashford School and as Educational Technologist for The United Learning Group of schools. She draws on her research and practical experiences of working with technology with various groups of schools in education, whilst also holding responsibility for providing leadership in ICT operations and strategy. She is also the author of the Digital Literacy in the Primary series and Digital Parenting book, locally published and distributed globally.

Jan Dubiel

Early Years Education Specialist

Jan Dubiel is Early Years Education Specialist and is a nationally and internationally recognised specialist in Early Childhood Education. He was recently identified by the Times Educational Supplement as one of the ten most influential people in British education. He was previously Head of National and International Development at Early Excellence. He has worked as a YN, YR, and Y1 teacher, senior leader, consultant, adviser, and national lead on the management of the (Early Years) Foundation Stage Profile with QCA. He has written widely on different aspects of Early Years policy, pedagogy and practice.

Dr. Caroline Cohrssen

Professor in Early Childhood Education

Caroline Cohrssen is a Professor in Early Childhood Education at The University of New England in Armidale, NSW. As she is interested in children’s learning from birth to five years, her research encompasses the home learning environment as well as early childhood education and care settings. The implications for pre-service teacher education and in-service professional learning are also important to her. She has recently returned home to Australia after spending three years living and working in Hong Kong SAR.