From Uncertainty to Intentionality: One Preschool Teacher’s Journey to Teaching ICT with Confidence
Olivia, a preschool educator, didn’t start her day looking for a membership. She started it like most days—trying to plan a week of engaging, play-based learning that would meet curriculum goals and reflect her children’s interests. One challenge kept resurfacing: the blank space in her programming allocated to technology.
Her children were fascinated by devices, and her service had made it clear that integrating technology into learning was a priority. But how?
She had questions like:
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“What are intentional teaching strategies when using ICT?”
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“How can I use technology in a way that’s developmentally appropriate for preschoolers?”
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“Where do I even begin?”
She’d searched for ICT activities for early years and found plenty of Pinterest boards and app suggestions—but none of them explained how to teach with purpose. She wanted guidance that would help her:
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Understand how to teach with technology, not just use it
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Plan ICT experiences that aligned with her teaching philosophy
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Support children’s learning through digital tools, not distract from it
She wasn’t looking for a membership—she was looking for direction.
That’s why when she came across the ICT in Education Teacher Academy during a search, she didn’t join right away. It was new. Unknown. It wasn’t something she had heard about before.
But something about it stood out: it talked about intentional teaching in ECE with a specific focus on digital technology. And it mentioned a workbook—a practical tool designed to help teachers like her set goals, plan activities, observe learning, and reflect.
That intrigued her.
So Olivia didn’t sign up immediately. She bookmarked the page. Came back to it later. Downloaded a sample lesson. She wanted to see if this could actually support her thinking.
What she found in that sample, and later inside the workbook, made her realise: maybe this was what she had been missing all along.
Then she saw something different: a "Membership Workbook" that supported lesson plan application, aligned with the EYLF, and helped teachers track growth. That workbook became the reason she took the leap.
How the Membership Workbook Helps You Intentionally Teach with Technology
From the first page, the Membership Workbook eased Olivia’s doubts. It wasn’t just a guide—it was a clear and structured companion that showed her how to teach technology intentionally.
It helped Olivia by:
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Prompting her to write specific learning goals for each ICT activity
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Offering space to plan both the digital tools and the teaching strategies she'd use
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Encouraging her to observe children’s learning with focus (not just whether they “enjoyed it”)
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Providing reflection questions to consider what worked, what didn’t, and how to improve
The workbook also reinforced developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) teaching strategies by encouraging Olivia to adapt digital tasks to suit the developmental levels and communication styles of her learners. These embedded prompts supported her use of intentional teaching strategies, responsive planning, and thoughtful documentation.
For Olivia, the turning point came when she applied the workbook to the QR Code Nature Hunt lesson. On the surface, it seemed like a fun way to get children using technology outdoors. But the workbook helped her transform it into a rich, intentional learning experience.
Here’s how she used the workbook to plan intentionally:
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Learning Intention Prompt: "What do I want the children to learn through this activity?"
Olivia wrote: "Children will use digital tools to explore nature, ask questions, and document discoveries—supporting ICT capability and inquiry-based learning." -
Technology Planning Section:
She selected: QR code scanning app on iPads, paired with fact sheets and nature maps. -
Intentional Strategy Planning:
Using the workbook’s prompts, she planned to:-
Introduce scanning by modelling it in small groups
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Use open-ended questions like “What do you think this QR code might show us?”
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Record each child’s responses and interaction for assessment
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Observation Guide:
During the activity, she used the template to note:-
Who needed support with scanning
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How children collaborated to find clues
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Vocabulary used by children during the hunt
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Reflection Prompt: "What worked well? What could I change next time?"
She reflected that the visual nature of the QR codes engaged even her less verbal learners—and decided next time she would add images to the fact sheets.
This level of structure was what Olivia had been missing. The workbook didn’t just help her plan—it helped her teach with purpose.
She also began using the workbook to align her practice with the EYLF and APST. Each reflection section supported her ability to collect evidence for standards like 2.6 (ICT capability) and 3.2 (plan, structure and sequence learning programs), helping her feel more prepared for appraisals and quality improvement planning.
The workbook allowed Olivia to build a teaching strategies lesson plan for preschool that integrated ICT, supported children’s development, and documented learning outcomes—all in one place.
10 ICT Activities for Early Years That Make Teaching with Technology Intentional
As Olivia continued to use the workbook, she selected and adapted ICT activities for early years from the Members’ Library. Each one came with suggested prompts, outcomes, and reflection strategies. Here are 10 that transformed her practice:
1. Learning About Computers
Children explore real computer components.
This activity introduces the language of technology through tactile play. Children are encouraged to take apart and explore old keyboards or computers (safely), while discussing the role each part plays.
Intentional Teaching Strategy: Olivia used real keyboards, mice, and screens to help children touch and explore. She scaffolded language with visual cards and asked children to describe the parts and their uses. She extended this by helping them role-play as "technicians" using the components, encouraging sustained shared thinking and vocabulary development.
2. Digital Nature Photography Walk
Children take photos of textures and patterns outside.
Children are guided to observe natural patterns and textures, photograph them using tablets, and later use those images in digital or printed displays.
Intentional Teaching Strategy: Olivia modelled how to take photos carefully and then prompted children with questions like, “What textures do you notice?” She linked this to creative arts by creating a collaborative digital collage and encouraged reflection by revisiting the images during group time.
3. Outdoor Digital Storytelling
Children record nature sounds to create stories.
Children walk through the environment capturing audio and visuals, which they sequence into digital stories using simple apps.
Intentional Teaching Strategy: Olivia broke the group into pairs and gave roles (recorder, narrator). She provided a simple story map and modelled how to add sound effects using voice notes. She then facilitated a group editing session where children reviewed and ordered clips together.
4. QR Code Nature Hunt
Children scan codes to reveal fun facts.
This activity supports inquiry-based learning by connecting technology with exploration.
Intentional Teaching Strategy: Beyond scanning, Olivia guided predictions, comparisons of the digital content, and group recording of findings on a large nature wall. This promoted inquiry-based learning and rich vocabulary development, especially when paired with the workbook's observation prompts.
5. Drawing with Programmable Toys
Children code Bee Bots with markers to create artwork.
This activity combines basic coding with creativity and problem-solving.
Intentional Teaching Strategy: Olivia prompted children to plan their path first using arrows on a whiteboard, supporting visual sequencing. After running their code, she encouraged them to describe the changes in direction and color, fostering metacognitive reflection.
6. Sorting Animals with Technology
Use tablets to group animal images.
Digital categorisation is used to reinforce science concepts and classification skills.
Intentional Teaching Strategy: Olivia scaffolded the learning by first sorting physical animal toys, then mirrored this in a digital app. She encouraged discussion around the criteria used and prompted reflection using "why" questions (e.g., “Why did you put these animals together?”).
7. Creating Shape Art with Paint 3D
Children design homes with 2D shapes digitally.
This creative math activity helps children recognise and use geometric shapes in digital formats.
Intentional Teaching Strategy: Olivia modelled shape tools in the app, then asked children to describe what shapes they used and why. She connected this to real-world objects (e.g., “What shape is the roof on your house at home?”), fostering spatial awareness.
8. Bee Bot School Bus
Children code the Bee Bot to follow a bus route.
This integrates spatial awareness, early programming skills, and social studies.
Intentional Teaching Strategy: Children worked in pairs, creating destinations and placing markers. Olivia prompted directional language (forward, turn, stop), supported prediction, and extended learning by having children draw their Bee Bot route afterward.
9. Augmented Reality Nature Discovery
Children use Seek to identify plants.
This activity supports digital research, observation, and science exploration.
Intentional Teaching Strategy: Olivia introduced key concepts like habitat and classification before the activity. As children identified plants using AR, she prompted them to draw or label what they found, integrating science, literacy, and digital skills.
10. Abstract Art with Bee Bots
Use coding to generate artistic patterns.
This blends coding, art, and mathematics.
Intentional Teaching Strategy: Olivia had children explore symmetry and repetition. She displayed their Bee Bot art and invited peer feedback, encouraging language use and reflection. She tied this into math by identifying repeated sequences and shapes in their art.
Each activity became a meaningful learning experience through purposeful scaffolding, reflection, and planning. The Membership Workbook supported Olivia at each stage, helping her shift from experimenting with ICT to intentionally teaching with it.
How the Membership Empowers Educators with More Than Just Lesson Plans
The workbook was just the beginning. As Olivia explored more of the membership, she discovered layers of support that shaped her growth:
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The "Intentional Teaching in ECE" Workshop: Broke down the what, why, and how of purposeful technology integration in preschool classrooms. It showed her how to plan, model, and assess digital learning.
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The Wisdom Tool: When she had questions like "What if my children can’t use tablets yet?", she searched the tool and instantly found strategies and reflections from others.
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The Technology in ECE Experts Playlist: Let her see how others implemented similar ideas. She watched a video on digital storytelling that helped her reframe her lesson for a non-verbal learner.
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The Members' Community: A space to share, ask, and reflect. After a digital safety lesson, Olivia posted her experience and received 4 suggestions on improving the discussion.
“When I posted a question about coding with non-verbal learners, I had three replies within 24 hours,” another member told Olivia. “It felt like someone always had my back.”
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eBooks & Templates: Helped her understand the why behind the strategies, not just the how.
She no longer felt like she was guessing. Every decision was more informed, more aligned with intentional teaching, and backed by both the workbook and the community.
What Olivia Would Tell You Now
"At first, I didn’t know if this membership would be worth it. I’d never heard of it. But when I opened the workbook and saw how it guided me through real steps, real reflection, and real progress—I knew I’d found something different.
Now I don’t just use ICT in my teaching. I teach with it, for a reason.
The workbook helped me define learning goals with clarity, plan with purpose, and reflect with confidence. Every section pushed me to consider how I was teaching—not just what tools I was using. It didn’t just support my programming—it changed my thinking.
And now, after using the tools, templates, and community support, I’ve reached the point where I’m not only integrating technology—I’m leading it. I’ve presented my ideas in our centre’s staff meetings, supported colleagues who felt unsure, and even contributed to a community thread about adapting activities for children with additional needs. That’s the Transformation stage the membership talks about—and I didn’t get there overnight, but I got there with help."
What is Intentional Teaching?
As a childcare worker, preschool, or kindergarten teacher the instructional decisions you make have a profound impact on a child's learning. Teaching strategies in ECE lay the foundation for the future development of skills and knowledge. Going one further, intentional teaching strategies in childcare and education is about making a lasting impact and impression on a young child's learning and when it comes to integrating technology in childcare and education, it is no different.
According to the QCAA, "intentional teaching strategies is an active process and a way of relating to children that embrace and build on their strengths, interests, ideas and needs. It requires teachers to be purposeful in their decisions and actions. Intentional teaching extends children’s thinking, builds deep understanding, and occurs in emergent and planned experiences. Teachers use a range and balance of strategies to cater to and promote all children’s learning."
So what is intentional teaching in early childhood? As an early childhood teacher, this means " explicitly teach knowledge and skills to individuals or small groups that support the children learning" (Aussie Childcare Network). You can find intentional teaching strategies early childhood examples below in relation to technology integration in the preschool, kindergarten and early year primary teaching.
Within the early childhood learning settings, there are many interactions that occur between early childhood teachers, children, the context, and the content. Intentional teaching involves the teacher playing a big role in ensuring that these interactions bring about learning for children.
Especially in early childhood, you need to be thinking about what you are doing as a teacher and how you supporting children’s learning and development.
This continual thinking makes it a dynamic process and promotes a range of pedagogical practices. This could involve intentionally altering the environment or altering the teaching materials. The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) describes ‘intentional teaching’ that is purposeful, thoughtful, and deliberate as opposed to describing a specific approach to teaching. Early childhood teachers who are aware of the impact of their teaching on children’s learning play a significant role in readdressing education inequality in Australia and abroad.
If you are an intentional teacher you would:
- Sensitively observe children and intentionally plan to deepen, extend and sustain children’s interests through provocations, tools and resources, documentation, and dialogue.
- Organise and maintain the physical environment to ensure access to appropriate resources and optimal support for positive experiences.
- Create specific challenges and plan interactions designed to extend children’s capabilities and higher-order thinking skills.
- Participate in child-initiated play activities and develop complex imaginative role play narratives with children.
- Model and demonstrate skills as well as providing specific direction or instruction.
LEARN ALSO ABOUT:
Early Childhood Education teaching strategies
Intentional Strategies in ECE
In an intentional, well-planned, and developmentally appropriate classroom, technology experiences are integrated into child-play. Research shows (Simon & Nemeth, 2012, p. 32) that whenever you choose to use technology as an intentional teaching tool that it should never replace any other experiences or opportunities.
It is all about balance.
Here are some intentional strategies that involve the use of technology. These teaching strategies in early childhood are evidence-based in that they help build on child home experiences of technology and develop their ICT capability and ICT literacy. All are EYLF teaching strategies for the learning outcomes 4 and 5.
The following is a list of strategies for intentional teaching in childcare, preschool and kindergarten to do with technology integration the classroom.
Examples of intentional teaching in early childhood include:
Intentional Environments
Positioning the materials: plan and think about certain technologies (either child-made, working or defunct ones) that you wish for the children use on the day. Place them into their role play boxes.
Encourage them to combine the toys in the boxes.
Collecting materials: it is a good idea to help them collect the materials they need in order to create the technology which is on their mind. Support their knowledge and skills in counting and seriation.
Documentation and display: this forms an essential part of the assessment for learning in early childhood. However, you can also display posters of the proper use of technology or even photos of them using technology in their play.
Additionally, the documentation collected relating to a child’s technology use can include data that illustrates their capabilities in ICT and the levels of understanding which they have.
Scheduling: You could organise a time to support children’s changing interests and levels of concentration when using technology in early childhood. Also, get involved with children and have in-depth conversations about the use of technology in their lives and in society. Talk to them about how they use technology at home and find out data to use for your future planning.
Intentional teaching interactions
Encouragement: when using technology in early childhood motivation and encouragement is a given. Children are naturally motivated to use it so it best to take advantage of this and employ effective teaching strategies for early childhood that will not only enhance the learning of the context, but also develop their ICT capabilities.
Facilitation: you can achieve this by promoting autonomy in their use of technology at your early childhood education and care centre. Through role-play that encourages the use of technology independence in ICT can be supported.
Using technology outdoors is a method in early childhood to encourage both role-play and the use of ICT together. As ICT naturally brings children together to collaborate it is also good to promote cooperation between children. If your aim is to further enhance literacy and language development in early childhood then technology is a great medium for this too.
Positioning yourself: by placing yourself in a position beside the child when they are sitting at the computer or using the iPad, you provide an atmosphere of warmth and support and care for them. Keep eye contact and smile at them when they are showing you or talking to you about using technology.
Grouping: while ICT typically brings people together to collaborate, you may want to take advantage of this and develop children’s cooperative skills. There are cognitive skills developed at this time too, however, don’t forget to promote the development of their metacognitive skills in the use of technology in early childhood.
It is important that you provide appropriate scaffolding between capable and less capable children. You can also group the more ICT capable children with the less ICT capable children.
Listening: you can encourage children to share their ideas and thoughts about technology. Your listening skills will also aide you to determine when to intervene when children using ICT and this should also help promote their higher order thinking skills. By intentionally using your listening you will be able to learn more about the children in your care.
Modelling: there are many ways in which you can model the use of ICT. ICT techniques can be modelled but also higher order thinking skills such as when you think aloud in front of them.
This will help them solve problems and to learn to play cooperatively. The way you model the use of technology in early childhood education will have a profound impact on their capabilities in ICT.
Demonstrate: this can be used to model tasks, breaking down steps and processes when using technology in early childhood education. It is best to keep things brief and when you demonstrate a technique, withdraw the support as soon as possible, and allow the child to practice on their own.
Questioning: you can ask children questions about their use of ICT at home and where they may have seen it used in public. Questioning also helps you to challenge naïve ideas about the use of ICT techniques. This is where you may have to demonstrate to them an ICT technique.
Suggestion: at times you may find that you have to offer some advice on an ICT technique to develop children’s persistence and to lower their frustration about something. When they using technology in role play, you could also provide suggestions for use as well.
Prompting recall: ask children to recall something which you may have modelled or demonstrated to them earlier using ICT. Begin by asking them things like “What do you remember about…..” or “What happened when you tried…..”
By intentionally using this strategy, you will be able to help them to solve problems, reinforce ideas, concepts and knowledge in addition to supporting them to report on their experiences and observations.
Feedback: this forms a very important part of your formative assessment strategies in early childhood. Feedback will help build their self-efficacy and confidence and will support children as learners. You will be able to positively reinforce aspects of their learning.
Scaffolding: this helps to build their skills and capabilities in ICT. Provide support when needed and then withdraw the support as soon as possible.
There must be a gap to bridge between the children’s abilities and the requirements of the problem situation if learning is to occur. This may be in the computer-intrinsic activity or in the task-intrinsic activity.
You can further reduce this gap by providing affordances of the environment such as providing a clear demonstration on a big screen of the actions to be followed or by asking a series of structured questions. To encourage the development of higher order thinking skills, the affordances for planning, monitoring, and evaluating the activity must not be too great. The manipulation of the affordances is central to your role as an early childhood teacher.
Conclusion
You may have over 1000 interactions with children, but with well-planned intentional teaching strategies such as those above in relation to the use of technology then this will contribute to the greater learning and positive outcomes for children.
Intentional teaching strategies in childcare and education can have a tremendous impact on child learning especially when technology is added to the equation. The above example of intentional teaching in childcare and education is your first step in developing a child's technological literacy today.
18 Teaching Strategies in Early Childhood Classrooms
High impact evidence based teaching strategies in early childhood education are the foundations to a child’s progression in learning. Teaching strategies used in the classroom are significant as they are used to help students learn by identifying the different available learning methods. So what are some teaching strategies in early childhood?
Below is teaching strategies in ECE list that develop metacognition in students as it combines the integration of technology in early childhood education.
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Technology in Early Childhood Education Articles:
Professional learning includes reading early childhood education theories. Follow this link to see my continuous range which keeps on getting bigger.
Understand how children learn with technology in early childhood education:
In order for you to effectively integrate technology in your early childhood education and care centre, this article is a must as it will help lay the foundations for this to occur.
Plan the integration of technology in early childhood education:
There are 14 aspects of curriculum planning in early childhood education that you need to consider when using technology.
Match ICT Resources to Learning Objectives:
This stems from understanding how children learn with technology in early childhood education.
Attend Online Professional Development for Early Childhood Teachers:
Early Childhood Education professional development is important and here you will have the option of joining a class of colleagues who are like-minded in ensuring learning progression with technology. Complex and continuous online PD for early childhood educators is a key requirement of the productive integration of ICT into the learning processes of children. This is also a key strategy for developing technological literacy and ICT capability in ECE.
Apply Formative assessment strategies in Early Childhood Education:
Observing children is what you do best along with providing them with the foundations to key learning areas. Why not employ formative assessment strategies that will help you establish a baseline for growth in ICT Capability.
Encourage ICT experiences
Not all kids are used to playing with technology in the classroom so I have provided you with teaching strategies to help you achieve this.
Facilitate capabilities in ICT
Once you have got everyone on the same playing field it is time to facilitate children’s capabilities in ICT. Remember, this involves more than just the teaching of techniques and skills.
Involve parents in the integration of ICT and the development of ICT capability:
Believe it or not…parents can make a tremendous impact on children’s learning. Get them involved. Read how here.
Build on home experiences of ICT:
Children are already exposed to ICT at home and have begun to pick up new ICT skills even before they enter your early childhood education and care centre. Progression in learning needs to continue from this point so it important to build on this.
Boost literacy in Early Childhood with ICT:
ICT can greatly enhance the learning of literacy in any learning environment. You can pick up some great tips here.
Write quality transition statements concerning a child’s ICT capability:
This may occur at the end of the year, however, pick up these tips in advance so you can plan what you need to aim for throughout the year with the children in your care.
Modelling thinking and behaviour
In the early years, the way you model your thinking and behaviour when using Information and Communication Technology becomes a very powerful source of ICT learning for young children. One of the most significant ways that children learn at this age is through observation.
This is one of the key teaching strategies in early childhood that will be able to support children's technology learning by engaging in shared thinking. "You have really thought hard about where to put this door in the palace - where will you put the windows?"
Scaffold technology learning effectively and thoughtfully
Scaffolding in early childhood is more complex when it comes to technology integration so it is better to understand it in a way that you can adapt and support ICT learning better.
An effective early childhood teacher or care provider choose a strategy to fit a particular situation. Your ability to remain flexible and observant particularly when integrating technology in early childhood education will determine which strategy will be the most effective.
This list of teaching strategies early childhood can be adapted and learned in our online Teaching strategies in child care, preschool and kindergarten workshop. Earn valuable CPD hours today.
Teaching with Purpose: A Better Way to Support Learning in Early Childhood
There’s a difference between setting up an activity and truly guiding a child’s learning experience. That difference is intentional teaching—a method grounded in purpose, reflection, and responsiveness.
Educators often ask: what is intentional teaching in early childhood education?
At its core, intentional teaching is about making deliberate decisions in your role as a teacher. It’s when you know what you want children to learn, how to support it, and how to extend it in meaningful ways. It means you’re actively teaching, not just facilitating.
Common Intentional Teaching Practices in ECE Classrooms
Intentional teaching doesn’t always look like formal instruction. Here are some of the most common practices educators use in early years settings to teach with purpose:
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Modelling: Demonstrating a digital tool, like how to use a camera or drawing app, while narrating the process using rich vocabulary.
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Scaffolding: Supporting a child as they problem-solve with a programmable toy—offering just enough help to stretch their thinking.
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Prompting and Questioning: Asking, “What do you think will happen if you change direction?” during a coding activity to spark prediction and logic.
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Reflecting: Using visual prompts or photo discussions to help children revisit and talk about what they learned.
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Planned Interactions: Setting up an ICT-based group project that aligns with children's interests and EYLF outcomes, while being ready to adapt based on their responses.
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Documentation: Observing how children use technology and intentionally recording it to inform future planning and assessment.
Each of these strategies is grounded in thoughtful decision-making and a deep understanding of child development and learning goals.
Teaching with Intention Using ICT
In digital learning contexts, intentional teaching is even more important. With so many tools available, educators need to be selective and strategic.
This might look like:
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Planning a QR Code Treasure Hunt that builds inquiry and observation skills.
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Using digital storytelling to scaffold narrative structure and expressive language.
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Introducing shape art with Paint 3D to connect geometry and creativity.
The goal? To ensure technology use is purposeful, responsive, and aligned with children’s learning interests and abilities.
How the Membership Helps You Do This with Confidence
For educators who are unsure where to begin, the ICT in Education Teacher Academy provides a clear structure.
The Membership Workbook helps you:
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Set intentional learning goals
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Select appropriate ICT tools
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Use teaching strategies that support inquiry, collaboration, and reflection
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Observe and reflect on children’s learning
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Track your own professional progress toward confident ICT integration
Every lesson in the membership—whether it’s sorting animals on a tablet, using AR for nature discovery, or coding with Bee Bots—includes practical ways to embed intentional teaching.
And it’s not just about the “what”—it’s about the “why” and “how,” too.
10 of the Best DAP ICT Teaching Strategies in ECE
When using technology in early childhood education, it is important that you invest time in knowing and understanding high impact ICT teaching strategies in early childhood.
This is what is known as teacher competence in ICT or another term is teacher ICT capability.
What are some ICT teaching strategies in early childhood that support the use of technology and develop child ICT capability and ICT literacy?
10 Effective DAP Teaching Strategies in Early Childhood
The following are all developmentally appropriate and will guide you in laying the foundation for effective 21st century skills in your centre or school today.
- Acknowledge the experiences children have at home with technology. This is by far the best way to begin planning for learning progression in ICT capability and ICT literacy in the early childhood education and care learning environment.
- Encourage children’s independent use of ICT by praising them and making them feel comfortable and safe. Also ensure that you encourage independent use of ICT at home.
- Support their learning by giving them feedback during the ICT activity and the use of technology in role playing. Ensure that it is specific so that the positive comments are linked to observable behaviour.
- Model attitudes, decision-making processes and behaviour when using technology in early childhood education.
- Demonstrate appropriate ICT techniques and routines to children during exercises. This usually involves going through with the children a number of processes which they must do in order to complete the task.
- Create or add an ICT challenge so that it will stretch the more capable children and help them go beyond the basics.
- Set up role play environments with technology so that they make advantage of what is available and you can monitor their reactions and document their learnings.
- Plan to develop every component of ICT capability with children by facilitating their capabilities through constructive instructions.
- Give assistance to children with using ICT in their environment by asking them the “what if…” questions. Cues and tips are also helpful.
- Develop your own competence in ICT by improving your ICT capability. This is not about acquiring more ICT skills, but developing understanding and judgement about how to use those ICT skills appropriately.
These 10 effective DAP teaching strategies will get you started to integrate technology successfully in the early learning environment today.
RELATED: What is Developmentally Appropriate Technology for Early Childhood Education
Choosing to Teach with Purpose: How Technology Becomes a Powerful Tool in Early Learning
In early childhood classrooms, every decision an educator makes is a choice—especially when it comes to integrating technology. From what apps to introduce, to how digital tools are used during play-based learning, these decisions aren’t neutral. They’re instructional strategies, and they matter.
For many educators, the question isn’t whether technology should be used, but how it can be used in ways that support developmentally appropriate learning.
Instructional Strategies Grounded in Purpose
According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), high-quality teaching in early childhood involves using intentional, developmentally appropriate practices that align with how children learn best. These practices are known as DAP teaching strategies, and they include:
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Modelling and demonstrating
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Scaffolding learning experiences
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Offering choices and encouraging autonomy
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Asking open-ended questions to deepen thinking
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Using specific feedback to guide progress
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Extending learning through conversation and inquiry
(Source: NAEYC – 10 Effective DAP Teaching Strategies)
When technology is introduced through these strategies, it becomes more than a screen—it becomes a platform for problem-solving, communication, and creativity.
Technology as an Instructional Choice
Integrating technology in the early learning environment is an instructional choice. It’s not just about adding digital devices—it’s about embedding them thoughtfully within the curriculum.
For example:
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An educator using digital drawing tools to explore symmetry is making a decision that blends creativity with early math concepts.
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A teacher introducing augmented reality nature hunts is intentionally supporting science exploration and observational skills.
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A classroom coding activity with programmable toys is being used not just for engagement, but to teach sequencing, planning, and spatial awareness.
These are all examples of early childhood instructional strategies that align with developmentally appropriate teaching strategies for kindergarten and preschool settings.
As outlined by Athena Career Academy, effective early childhood teachers “use hands-on activities, encourage exploration, and use diverse approaches to meet different learning styles” (source). Technology, when selected and taught with intention, supports each of these goals.
How the Membership Helps You Teach This Way
For educators seeking structure, the ICT in Education Teacher Academy helps make these choices easier. Members receive:
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Lesson plans built on DAP-aligned instructional strategies
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A Membership Workbook to plan, reflect, and track professional growth
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Access to community discussions and expert-led insights on digital pedagogy
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Support to integrate technology in a way that’s both meaningful and manageable
Whether you're introducing tablets, coding toys, or AR, the membership helps you focus on what matters most: teaching with intention, not just tools.
Bringing It All Together
Technology in early childhood education is only as powerful as the strategy behind it. When integrated as part of early childhood instructional strategies, it supports engagement, development, and deeper learning.
If you're looking for a more intentional, guided way to plan and teach with digital tools, the support is here—and so is the path forward.
🔗 Join the ICT in Education Teacher Academy and explore how technology can enhance your instructional strategies with purpose and clarity.
How to Use Assessment to Develop ICT Teaching Strategies?
To make sure that you apply the appropriate ICT teaching strategies for each individual child, it is important that you use data from assessments to you to help reflect on the effectiveness of an approach to a particular topic, theme or ICT skill.
This is important because through the effective integration of ICT in the classroom you can support the development of ICT capability.
And ICT capability is largely practical.
So here are some suggestions for you to learn how to develop teaching strategies now.
Reflection
Reflecting before or after events has been known to be able to improve future situations.
You need to ask yourself questions such as:
- Did the class make the sort of improvements as expected?
- Are there certain parts of the development that have demonstrated better than expected?
- Can you identify what it was that you said, or that they discovered, that might have brought about these improvements?
If you can, you know what to stick with and what you need to improve on in the future.
Intervene at the appropriate moments
By asking them lots of questions you will get a picture of what they really know and understand.
This will help you to decide where to go next.
It will also help you to identify opportunities for peer tutoring, self-help groups and so on.
You can probe children’s understanding more by asking them ‘why’ questions.
This also helps them become more aware of what they are understanding.
And this ensures that they are better equipped to help one another.
Encouraging them to talk about it and to reflect on it will help them move closer to being autonomous users of ICT.
Ask for a demonstration
A simple demonstration of how to save or print a file on the computer either to you or to someone else is a good way to assess how well they have been taught.
Eavesdrop
Another way that you could learn information to help you inform your teaching strategies is to eavesdrop on children when they are collaborating.
Before you intervene, listen first!
If you barge into a collaborative conversation, they will assume you know what they have been talking about all the time.
Peer tutoring
Another suggestion would be to identify children who are more capable of using ICT.
Peer tutoring is one of the most effective means of support you can establish.
Use my advice on grouping children when using ICT that includes considering levels of capabilities in ICT.
For example, a most able child could help a ‘middle range’ child as a pair.
And a ‘middle range’ can help a lower attainer.
Identify common errors
You can also identify common errors and talk about these in large groups.
This may bring up many misconceptions about using the computer.
Assess group work
If you have planned a group task where the computer is used as a tool to gain information it may create some issues.
However, if you use the suggestions offered in my full online PD you will learn how to overcome this hurdle with ease.
The benefit of group work with computers is that they learn a lot from each other.
Assess individual work
Not all work on the computer is done in groups and when individual work is set it is essential that you apply key strategies such as those mentioned in my full online pd.
For example, I go into depth as to how you can effectively assess ICT capability in the early learning environment.
You may find that some children never seem to have an opportunity to hold a mouse and may need their confidence boosted so they can develop their fine motor skills.
Use your assessment findings to establish a starting point for learning with ICT
Go through all the data that you have obtained from the above suggestions and start plotting a path for children to learn.
These are my suggestions as to how to improve your ICT teaching strategies.
Making the Most of Every Moment: How Educators Guide Learning Through Play and Purpose
In early childhood education, play is often viewed as spontaneous, unstructured, and child-led—and rightly so. But when paired with thoughtful, educator-guided interaction, play becomes a powerful foundation for deeper learning. This is where intentional teaching makes its mark.
By observing, listening, and stepping in at the right moment, educators turn ordinary play into meaningful learning experiences. And that’s the heart of high-quality early years teaching.
Teaching Within the Context of Play
According to the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), intentional teaching involves “actively promoting children’s learning through worthwhile and challenging experiences.” In other words, educators are not passive observers. They make purposeful decisions within the flow of the day to guide and extend learning opportunities.
This is especially true in play based learning and intentional teaching in early childhood contexts. When educators combine these approaches, they:
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Use open-ended questions to prompt reflection during dramatic play
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Model new vocabulary while children engage in pretend shopping or building
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Introduce digital tools to expand creative expression
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Scaffold problem-solving as children experiment with cause and effect using technology
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Observe children's cues and plan next steps based on interests and learning needs
Where Technology Fits In
Many educators wonder: How can technology be part of play-based learning without disrupting its open-ended nature?
The answer lies in how it’s introduced. When used as a tool—not a toy—technology can actually support and extend play-based experiences.
Examples include:
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Children using programmable toys to navigate a pretend town map they created together
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Exploring nature sounds outdoors and combining them with visuals for digital storytelling
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Using tablets to photograph block creations or artwork, then narrating the process in an app
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Scanning QR codes hidden in the playground to uncover clues in a scavenger hunt
In each scenario, children are leading the experience, and educators are guiding it with intention.
How the Membership Supports Both Play and Purpose
Inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy, educators don’t have to choose between playful learning and structured outcomes. The Membership Workbook is designed to help you do both by:
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Planning technology experiences that start from children’s play
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Setting clear learning goals that match the EYLF
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Using prompts to guide observations and extend learning
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Reflecting on your teaching practice with structured templates
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Adapting activities for different learning styles and contexts
Every lesson—from Bee Bot school bus adventures to digital nature walks—is designed to support both play based learning and intentional teaching in early childhood contexts.
Teaching with Intention Doesn’t Mean Controlling Play
It means knowing when to join in, when to step back, and how to design environments that allow learning to unfold—with a little help from you.
If you’re looking to bridge playful exploration with purposeful teaching, the ICT in Education Teacher Academy can guide you there.
🔗 Join today and learn how to use digital tools to enrich play and deepen learning.
Ready to Teach with Confidence?
If you're wondering where to start with technology in ECE, start where Olivia did: with one intentional step.
Join the ICT in Education Teacher Academy today and use the Membership Workbook to:
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Plan meaningful technology-integrated lessons
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Reflect on your teaching and track progress
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Build confidence with a supportive community
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Align your practice with EYLF and APST
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Apply DAP teaching strategies that promote play-based, purposeful ICT integration
🔗 This isn’t just professional development. It’s professional transformation. Start today.