Empowering Diverse Learners
Integrating Tangible Technologies and Low-Tech Tools to Foster STEM Engagement and Creativity in Early Childhood Education
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22048831 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Victoria Damjanovic (0000-0001-8080-1737, Northern Arizona University, corresponding author), Sandy Branson (0000-0001-8756-1385, Northern Arizona University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Pages | 1024 |
| Publication date | 2025-08-10 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Education Sciences (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/educsci15081024 |
| OpenAlex | W4413226012 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 31 |
This qualitative case study explores how preschool teachers enact inclusive pedagogical practices by integrating tangible technologies, low-tech, and no-tech tools within an inquiry-based learning framework. Focusing on teacher decision-making and children’s multimodal engagement, the study examines two questions: (1) How do early childhood teachers use a range of tools to support inclusive, inquiry-driven learning? and (2) How do children engage with these tools to communicate, collaborate, and construct knowledge? Drawing on classroom observations, teacher-created storyboards, child artifacts, and educator reflections, findings illustrate how programmable robots, recycled materials, and hands-on resources support accessibility and creative expression for diverse learners. Children used alternative modalities such as coding, drawing, building, and storytelling to represent their ideas and engage in problem-solving across a range of developmental and linguistic needs. Teachers are positioned as pedagogical designers who scaffold inclusive participation through flexible environments, intentional provocations, and responsive guidance. Rather than treating technology as a standalone innovation, the study emphasizes how its integration, when grounded in play, inquiry, and real-world relevance, can promote equity and engagement. These findings contribute to research on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), early STEM education, and inclusive instructional design in early childhood classrooms
Creativity · Early childhood · Mathematics education · Narrative · Pedagogy · Storytelling · Child Development and Digital Technology · Education and Technology Integration · Psychology · Teaching and Learning Programming
Handbook of Research on STEM Education
Inclusion for Young Children With Disabilities
The Playing Learning Child
Scaffolding and Achievement in Problem-Based and Inquiry Learning
Social Constructivist Perspectives on Teaching and Learning
Academic achievement of students without special educational needs in inclusive classrooms
Computational thinking and tinkering
Free choice and free play in early childhood education
Roles of digital technologies in the implementation of inquiry-based learning (IBL)
From digital literacy to digital competence
Using tablets and apps to enhance emergent literacy skills in young children
Exploring inclusive pedagogy
Returning to Text
Using thematic analysis in psychology
New directions for early literacy in a digital age
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |