Uncovering Very Young Children's Citizenship Experiences via Multimodal Assessment

• In Event: Young Children as Democratic Citizens in Early Childhood Education: International Perspectives

Abstract

Children can be engaged in experiences that actively build their sense of power and control over events in their lives. That empowerment is fundamental to democratic citizenship (National Council for the Social Studies [NCSS], 2010). Our work focuses on using multimodal assessment to uncover the prior knowledge very young children’s (ages 4-5) build as they interpret personal experiences. Since most 4- and 5-year olds are not fluent readers nor writers, we utilize other modalities for assessment. We ask, how can very young children’s prior knowledge be accessed? and How can we build on prior knowledge to empower children’s active citizenship?

To investigate these questions, we developed a set of multimodal assessment methods involving children in description of an event all had experienced using representation via physical performance, visual representation through drawing, and representation via verbal responses to questions guiding them to oral storytelling. Choosing an event, such as a local natural disaster which all the children experienced in some manner, for example, a tornado or a focused social event such as participation in a program honoring a local community helper, we use multimodal assessments to enable children to describe those experiences. They are encouraged to identify how they were challenged during and after the experience and to identify elements indicating what they interpret as their successful response to the challenge. Children’s descriptions of what occurs, why, and how to respond to an event allow them to see themselves as having some power and an element of control, both necessary in democratic citizenship.

Cognitive and social constructivist theorists have discussed the processes thought to be underlying prior knowledge (Blaik-Hourani, 2011; Gray, 1997; Green & Gredler, 2002). The implication of cognitive constructivist theory is the recognition of children’s active role in creating personal understanding of their experiences within the limitations imposed by the physical and social environments in which they live (Gray, 1997; Xu & Kushnir, 2013). Social constructivism focuses on children’s active role in making meaning of the interactions they have with knowledgeable others (Jaramillo, 1996). The implication of social constructivism is the recognition of the influence children’s active, collaborative participation in social interactions has on their understandings. Both theories stress the power of children’s active role in making sense of their experiences.

We found our sample could share their ideas through the multiple modes utilized in assessment: Physical performance, visual representation, and representation via language. The importance of using a multimodal approach was evident as each type of assessment enabled children to convey different aspects of their thinking. The children were able to communicate more extensively via their better developed modalities yet still provided information via their less developed modalities. We suggest recognizing and valuing a variety of modalities is essential when interacting with very young children. Democratic citizenship can be built only when very young children have the opportunity to describe their interpretations of experiences in multiple modes.

Author

• Cynthia S. Sunal, University of Alabama
  Presenting Author