Notes from Research

Technology in Early Childhood Education: Finding the Balance

• Technology cannot and should not replace human interactions and relationships, but computers and software can serve as a catalyst for social interaction and conversations related to chilren's work
• The classroom must be set up to encourage interaction and then technology will increase, not impair, language and literacy develpopment - place two seats in front of a computer, place computers in close proximity to one another, etc.
• Computer play encourages longer, more complex speech and development of fluency
• Children tend to narrate what they are doing as they draw pictures or move objects around on the screen - thus, language development
  
• Compared to more traditional activities (puzzles and blocks), research shows computers elicit more social interaction and different types of interaction
• A word processor on a computer allows children to compose and revise text without being distracted by the fine motor aspects of letter formation - however, computer use should be relatively brief at this age as to prevent muscular-skeletal injuries and vision problems
• Computers allow representation and actions not possible in the physical world (i.e. they can manipulate gravity and speed and discover resulting effects) - thus enhancing inquiry learning
• Computers can reveal hidden strenghts for children with different learning styles
• 3-5 year olds: computers should be used as a means for exploration and discovery and should be one of many activity children can choose - open-ended use not for creating a product
• 5-8 year olds:
• p. 37 keys to success

5 effective ways for young children to use technology
1. Make and display a graph
- build a physical graph with objects, then a two-dimensional one on a spreadsheet or graphing program on a computer
-use meaningful topics for the kids (clothes colors, transportation to school, etc.)
-helps with transfer from concrete to abstract understanding
2. Explore with digital tools
-investigate the familiar world from new perspectives--close-up photos digital microscopes or cameras
-record scenes and sounds (and other senses or feelings) while exploring for later reference
3. Tell a story in pictures and words
-create stories and pictures with background voices that the kids use their creativity to make--they will love that they can see their creations
4. Write, record, and revisit
-use digital photographs, captions, drawings, voice recordings, etc. to record class activities
-make an electronic slideshow of a class book with individual contributions about the curriculum
5. Share and document learning
-chronicle and document learning progress
-take family portraits at Open House to display and send home

Early Connections

• Can range from short and simple lessons to being an integral part of long-term projects
• Should be used in addition to hands-on learning
• When selecing software it is important to choose material that is DAP: it should encourage exploration, imagination, and problem solving
  Reflect and build on what children already know
  Involve many senses and include sound, music, and voice
  Be open-ended, with the child in control of the pace and the path
  Hardware that can be used in the classroom:
  Tape recorders
  Video cameras
  TV/VCRs
  Fax machines
  Portable keyboards
  Digital microscopes
  Computers
  For choosing technology to be used with younger children, the best choice for a particular situation may be no new technology, or just simple tape recorders and cameras.