This study was prompted by a concern that early literacy classroom activities reflected varying practices and differing perceptions of technology, literacy and how they are related. Furthermore there seemed to be a strong resistance to the use of technology in most early literacy classrooms. These factors it seemed could only lead to greater inequity. While the initial focus question for the research began as, ‘how are teachers of young children incorporating technology into their early literacy programs?’ it soon changed to ‘why do teachers of early literacy find it difficult to implement technology into their literacy curriculum?’ Findings highlighted that implementation of technology was hindered by lack of time and expertise to explore and understand available software, teachers’ narrow definition of literacy as including only paper-based texts, and lack of understanding of and confidence in the potential of the use of technology in the early years.
Balajthy, E.
(2000) ‘IsTechnology Worth My ProfessionalTime, Resources and Efforts?’, in S. Wepner, W. Valmont and R. Thurlow (eds) Linking Literacy and Technology: A Guide for K-8 Classrooms, pp. 203–217. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
2.
Bogdan, R.
and Biklen, S. (1992) Qualitative Research for Education:An Introduction to Theory and Methods.Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
3.
Burns, R.
(1990) Introduction to Research Methods. Melbourne: Longman Cheshire.
4.
Clay, M.
(1979) The Early Detection of Reading Difficulties, 2nd edn.Auckland: Heinemann Educational.
5.
Clay, M.
(1991) Becoming Literate:The Construction of Inner Control. Auckland: Heinemann Educational.
6.
Cohen, L.
and Manion, L. (eds) (1989) Research Methods in Education, 3rd edn.London: Routledge.
7.
Curriculum Corporation
(1994) Statements on the Eight Key Learning Areas for Australian Schools. Carlton, Victoria: Australian Education Council.
8.
Dede, C.
(1998) ‘Introduction’, in C. Dede (ed.) Learning with Technology,pp. v–x. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
9.
Department of Employment, Education and Training
(1991) Australia’s Language: The Australian Language and Literacy Policy. Canberra: Department for Employment, Education and Training, Australian Government Publishing Service (AGPS).
10.
Durrant, C.
and Green, B. (2000) ‘Literacy and The New Technologies in School Education: Meeting the L(IT)eracy Challenge’, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy23(2): 89–108.
11.
Eagleton, M.
(1999) ‘The Benefits and Challenges of a Student-designed School Website’, Reading Online, URL:, http://www.readingonline.org/articles/eagleton/index/html
12.
Fullan, M.
(1999) Change Forces:The Sequel. London: Falmer Press.
13.
Fullan, M.
(2000) ‘The Three Stories of Education Reform’, Phi Delta Kappan81(April): 581–584.
14.
Guba, E.
and Lincoln,Y. (1989) Fourth Generation Evaluation. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
15.
Hancock, J.
(ed.) (1999) Teaching Literacy Using Information Technology: A Collection of Articles from the Australian Literacy Educators’ Association. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
16.
Labbo, L.
(1999) ‘A Semiotic Analysis of Young Children’s Symbol Making in a Classroom Computer Center’, Reading Research Quarterly31(4): 356–385.
17.
Labbo, L.
(2000) ‘12 ThingsYoung Children can do with a Talking Book in a Classroom Computer Center’, The Reading Teacher53(7): 542–546.
18.
Labbo, L.
and Kuhn, M. (2000) ‘Weaving Chains of Affect and Cognition: A Young Child’s Understanding of CD-ROM Talking Books’, Journal of Reading32(2): 187–210.
19.
Labbo, L.
and Reinking, D. (1999) ‘Negotiating the Multiple Realities of Technology in the Literacy Research and Instruction’, Reading Research Quarterly34(4): 478–492.
20.
Labbo, L.
, Sprague, L., Montero, M.K. and Font, G. (2000) ‘Connecting a Computer Center to Themes, Literature and Kindergarteners’ Literacy Needs’, Reading Online, URL: http://readingonline.org/electronic/labbo/index.html
21.
Lankshear, C.
, Bigum, C., Durrant, C., Green, B., Morgan, W., Murray, J., Snyder, I. and Wild, M. (1996) ‘Literacy, technology and education: A project report’, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy19(4): 345–359.
22.
Lankshear, C.
, Snyder, I. with Green, B. (2000) Teachers and Techno-literacy: Managing Literacy, Technology and Learning in Schools. Sydney: Allen and Unwin.
23.
Leu, D., Jr
, Karchmer, R. and Diadiun Leu, D. (1999) ‘The Miss Rumphius Effect: Envisionments for Literacy and Learning that Transform the Internet’, Reading Online, URL: http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/RT/rumphius.html
24.
NSW Department of School Education
(1997) Teaching Reading: A K-6 Framework. Sydney: NSW Department of School Education.
25.
Parkes, B.
(2000) Read it Again: Revisiting Share Reading.Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
26.
Sarason, S.
(1990) The Predictable Failure of Educational Reform. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
27.
Smith, F.
(1999) ‘When Irresistible Technology meets Irreplaceable Teachers’, Language Arts76(5): 414–421.
28.
Snyder, I.
(1996) ‘Integrating Computers into the Literacy Curriculum: More Difficult Than We Think’, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy19(4): 330–344.
29.
Snyder, I.
(1999a) ‘Using Information Technology in Language and Literacy Education: An Introduction’, in J. Hancock (ed.) Teaching Literacy Using Information Technology: A Collection of Articles from the Australian Literacy Educators’ Association. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
30.
Snyder, I.
(1999b) ‘Integrating Computers into the Literacy Curriculum: More Difficult Than We First Imagined’, in J. Hancock (ed.) Teaching Literacy Using Information Technology: A Collection of Articles from the Australian Literacy Educators’ Association. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
31.
State of Queensland, The
(2000) ‘Literate Futures: Report of the Literacy Review for Queensland Schools,TheTeacher SummaryVersion’, Department of Education, URL: http://education.qld.gov.au/
32.
Strauss, A.
and Corbin, J. (1990) Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
33.
Travers, J.
(1999) ‘Everything is Connected: An Information Technology Program Comes Together’, in J. Hancock (ed.) Teaching Literacy Using Information Technology: A Collection of Articles from the Australian Literacy Educators’ Association. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
34.
Turbill, J. (1994) ‘From a Personal to a Grounded Theory of Staff Development’, PhD Thesis, University of Wollongong, Australia.
35.
Underwood, G.
and Underwood, J. (1996) Gender Differences in Children’s Learning from Interactive Books, URL: http://www.coe.uh.edu/insite/elec_pub/html1996/03readin.htm#gold
36.
Wepner, S.
,Valmont,W. and Thurlow, R. (eds) (2000) Linking Literacy andTechnology:A Guide for K-8 Classrooms. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Just Grandma and Me Deluxe, Broderbund/The Learning Company, Cambridge, MA, URL: http://www.sonic.net/~mk/work/broderbund/programs/livingbooks/home.html
