ELSA

Your child and ELSA

Early Learning STEM Australia

If your child is attending a preschool service taking part in the ELSA Pilot, you may be wondering what this means for your family.

ELSA is a program designed to help children explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through hands-on and digital activities. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The digital activities are delivered via ELSA children’s apps, which are available at the preschool service on their iPads and/or Android tablets.

You will need to give your consent before your child can participate in the 2019 ELSA Pilot.

Download the parental consent form

ELSA Apps

ELSA apps go beyond the screen to encourage active play and act as a springboard for children to explore the natural world. The apps prompt children to ask questions, make predictions, experiment, and reflect on what happened and why.

Each child taking part in the pilot will use the ELSA apps for a maximum of 40 minutes per week (usually broken up into smaller sessions). The pilot aims to minimise screen time while maximising learning outcomes, with two-thirds of the program being off-app.

Why STEM Practices are important

The ELSA Pilot enables children to explore STEM Practices. These are the ideas, methods and values that underpin STEM. They are important because they help children develop strong skills and values that are useful later in life, such as:

  • problem finding and solving
  • communication
  • creativity
  • using tools to produce artefacts

ELSA and the Early Years Learning Framework

ELSA is aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). EYLF describes outcomes which support and enhance young children’s learning from birth to five years of age, as well as their transition to school.

What will the ELSA Pilot look like?

Preschool services are customising ELSA activities to meet the needs of children and families in their community. This means that the ELSA Pilot may look different in other services. Generally, though, you can expect that your child will interact with ELSA as part of their daily play and learning.

The ELSA Pilot will introduce STEM concepts and practices to children via three steps – experience, represent and apply – using on- and off-app activities.

  • Step 1

    Experience

    Firstly, children will experience STEM concepts. During this step, educators will help your child notice STEM concepts while they are playing – for example, while building towers with blocks or collecting seed pods outside.

    Educators will also prepare and direct fun experiences for your child that introduce STEM concepts.

  • Step 2

    Represent

    After these hands-on experiences, your child will have a chance to represent their ideas on an ELSA app. The app’s educational games will encourage them to do things like create colourful patterns and sort healthy food by shape, size, or another attribute they choose.

    Activities on the apps have been designed for children to play together, communicate with each other and engage with the world around them.

    Step 2

  • Step 3

    Apply

    Your child will now be able to apply what they have learned from the app with more hands-on activities. They may find new ways to express ideas, and be inspired to do things differently with the ideas they have developed.

    They will also be able to take photos and be creative as they play.

Storypark

Download the info sheet on Storypark

Logan TAFE Community Child Care Centre is open to all carers, not just to TAFE students. We cater to families from all the surrounding suburbs including Loganlea, Bethania, Shailer Park, Daisy Hill, Slacks Creek, Kingston, Tanah Merah, Meadowbrook, Marsden and Waterford.