A pilot study examining educator pedagogical decision making for digital play based on critical reflection of children’s lived experience

Critical reflective practice has the potential to enhance pedagogical thinking and practice. While navigating the many demands in a busy educational workplace. Such navigation is complex in the post-digital world where consideration is given to how digital technologies should be used with young children. A pilot study was undertaken to explore how early years digital ambassadors (DA) and educators used prompting questions to critically reflect on a series of digital technology-based playful learning experiences with children aged 3–5 years in ECEC settings. Through analysis of video and/or written reflections completed by DAs and educators, it was identified that they altered their pedagogical practice based on what they discovered children already knew, and what they wanted to know more about. This deeper understanding enabled them to more effectively respond to children’s lived experience to scaffold subsequent digital play-based learning experiences.