CAN POPULAR CULTURE AND information communication technologies (ICT) broaden early years' multiliteracies experiences? This paper presents a case study that begins with boys role-playing Star Wars action scenes at the commencement of the school year, and concludes with an end-of-year school community celebration of a new DVD Star Wars movie sequel, designed and performed by the boys. The Children's Star Wars Project was developed in a small Western Australian independent community school committed to the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy. The case study provides an exemplar of the integral relationship between early childhood pedagogy, multiliteracies metalanguage, and multimodal designs of meaning. Implications for educational research are that popular culture and ICT can be readily integrated with early childhood education (ECE) to broaden multiliteracies experiences. As shown in this case study, these experiences facilitate the achievement of The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia outcomes.
References
1.
AbbottC., LachsV., & WilliamsL. (2001). Fool's gold or hidden treasure: Are computers stifling creativity?Journal of Education Policy, 16(5), 479–487.
2.
Alliance for Childhood (2004). Techno tonic: Towards a new literacy of technology.College Park MD: Alliance for Childhood.
CopeB., & KalantzisM. (Eds). (2000). Multiliteracies: Literacies learning and the design of social futures.South Yarra: Macmillan.
5.
Council of Australian Goverments (COAG) (2009). Belonging, being & becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia.Canberra: Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workforce Relations.
6.
CrottyM. (1998). The foundation of social research: Meaning and perspective in the research process.Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin.
7.
DenzinN. K., & LincolnY. S. (2000). The discipline and practice of qualitative research. In DenzinN. K. & LincolnY. S. (Eds), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 1–32). London: Sage Publications.
8.
DysonA. H. (2001). Where are the childhoods in childhood literacy? An exploration in outer (school) space. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 1(9), 9–37.
EdwardsS., GandiniL., & FormanG. (Eds) (1998). The hundred languages of children.Greenwich: Ablex Publishing Corporation.
11.
FrecceroC. (1999). Popular culture.New York: New York University Press.
12.
GillenJ. (2002). Moves in the territory of literacy? The telephone discourse of three- and four-year-olds. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 2(21), 21–43.
13.
HermesJ. (2005). Re-reading popular culture.Carlton: Blackwell Publishing.
14.
HillS. (2005). Multiliteracies in early childhood. Paper presented at the Public Libraries of South Australia Conference, Adelaide.
15.
KatzL. G. (1998). What can we learn from Reggio Emilia? In EdwardsS., GandiniL. & FormanG. (Eds), The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia approach – advanced reflections (pp. 27–45). Greenwich, CT: Ablex Publishing.
16.
KennerC. (2000). Symbols make text: A social semiotic analysis of writing in a multilingual nursery. Written Language and Literacy, 3(2), 235–266.
17.
KressG. (1997). Before writing: Rethinking the paths to literacy.London: Routledge.
18.
KressG. (2000). Design and transformation. In CopeB. & KalantzisM. (Eds), Multiliteracies: Literacy learning and design of social futures (pp. 182–202). South Yarra: Macmillan.
19.
MalaguzziL. (1998). History, ideas, and basic philosophy: An interview with Lella Gandini. In EdwardsC., GandiniL. & FormanG. (Eds), The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia Approach – advanced reflections (pp. 49–97). Greenwich: Ablex Publishing.
20.
MarshJ. (2005). Popular culture, new media and digital literacy in early childhood.London: Routledge Falmer.
21.
MaversD. (2007). Semiotic resourcefulness: A young child's email exchange as design. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 7, 155–176.
22.
McDonnellK. (1994). Kidculture: Children & adults & popular culture.Toronto: Second Story Press.
23.
NimmoJ. (1998). The child in community: Constraints from the early childhoodlore. In EdwardsS., GandiniL. & FormanG. (Eds), The Reggio Emilia approach – advanced reflections (pp. 295–312). London: Ablex Publishing.
24.
PlowmanL., & StephenC. (2005). Children, play, and computers in preschool education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36(2), 145–157.
25.
O'RourkeM. (2005). Multiliteracies for 21st century schools.Lindfield, NSW: The Australian National Schools Network Ltd.
26.
RinaldiC. (1998). Projected curriculum constructed through documentation - progettazione: An interview with Lella Gandini. In EdwardsC., GandiniL. & FormanG. (Eds.), The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia approach-advanced reflections. (pp. 113-125). Greenwich, CT: Ablex Publishing Corporation.
27.
SinclairD. (2005). The influence of popular culture on children's literacy preferences. Orbit, 35(2), 15–16.
28.
SmithC. R. (2002). Click on me! An example of how a toddler used technology in play. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 2(5), 5–19.
29.
SmolinL. I., & LawlessK. (2010). Using multiliteracies to facilitate culturally relevant pedagogy in the classroom. In ColeD. R. & PullenD. L. (Eds), Multiliteracies in motion, (pp. 173–187). Oxon: Routledge.
30.
SpaggiariS., & RinaldiC. (1996). I centro linguaggi dei bambini: narrativa del possible.Reggio Emilia: Reggio Children.
31.
ThomasA. B. (2004). Research skills for management studies.London: Routledge.
32.
United Nations General Assembly (1989). The convention on the rights of the child. Adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations, November 20, 1989.
33.
YinR. K. (1989). Case study research: Design and methods.Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.
34.
ZevenbergenR. (2007). Digital natives come to preschool: Implications for early childhood practice. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 8(1), 19–29.
