Super-Documentation? Roads to Digitalisation of Documentation and their Implications

Mediatisation is the term used to refer to the pervasion of media in all areas of life and the accompanying changes in communication content and behaviour. This contribution explores the question of what this process of mediatisation means for documentation in early childhood centres, and the consequences emerging from this. The focus here is, in particular, on digital media, which are currently also being employed in documentation processes. Two examples will be used to illuminate these areas: first, the digital portfolio, and second, documentation on social network sites. The analysis makes clear that digital methods of documentation are attractive in many respects: because of their intuitive operation, they can be integrated simply and efficiently into daily life in the early childhood centre; the various technical features are combined in such a way that they enable a clear overview of the documentation; they give children and parents opportunities to participate, and teachers who have an affinity with digital media often enjoy using them. All these advantages lead us to expect a rise in the quality of documentation work. Digital documentation appears to be a perfect form of documentation—a super-documentation. The use of digital methods of documentation may lead to a perfect documentation which, however, by sacrificing children’s freedom and immediacy, may lead to the comprehensive monitoring of children (and adults).