technology in early childhood education

BACKGROUND

Both critics and proponents agree on the importance of the early years in a child’s physical, social-emotional, language, and cognitive development. Much of the controversy revolves around the specific needs of young children, and whether technology can support those needs, or will take away from essential devel- opmental experiences.
Knowledge of children’s development and studies of children and technology use can guide understanding and inform decisions. Recent research on brain development has focused attention on the capabilities of young children, the stages and styles of learning, social-emotional development, and successful  educational practice. A National Research Council study (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 1999) reports, “Children lack
knowledge and experience, but not reasoning ability” (p. xiv).
Appropriate stimuli, such as close interaction with caring adults and engaging hands-on activities, enhance the brain’s development (Healy, 1998). The National Research Council study states that “early learning is assisted by the supportive context of the family and the social environment, through the kinds of activities in which adults engage with children” (p. xii). It also suggests that “a number of the features of the new technologies are consistent with the principles of a new science of learning” (p. xviii).

CHILD D EVELOPMENT

 Approaches Toward Learning. Children can be successful learners in many different ways. By understanding the predisposition and learning styles that influence a child’s response to learning opportunities, adults can encourage and increase engagement.

Young children have needs that are real and different from those of older children and adolescents. Children from birth to age eight are learning rapidly, using all of their senses and their
entire bodies to take in sensations and experience the world around them. During this period of their lives they learn through their play and exploration across five essential developmental dimensions (Kagan, Moore, & Bredekamp, 1995). These dimensions include:

•  Social and Emotional Development. The ability to form and sustain relationships gives meaning to learning experiences.
  Responsive interactions provide a sense of wellbeing that enables children to form attachments with others and participate positively in educational activities.

•  Language Development. Language empowers children to participate in both the cognitive and affective parts of the educational program. Experience with written and oral language provides children with the tools to interact with others, and to represent their thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

•  Physical Well-Being and Motor Development. A child’s health is connected to preparedness for and performance in learning activities. Healthy children are able to focus on and actively engage in experiences crucial to the learning process.

•  Cognition and General Knowledge. Children need opportunities to interact with the people and objects in their environment, and to learn from their surroundings. Experiences and interactions with peers and adults allow children to construct knowledge of patterns, understand relationships between objects or events, and learn ways to solve problems.

Three to Five Years, or Preschool

Children’s activities and experiences with computers will evolve over time as they grow and develop. Very young children often use computers with help from an adult or older child. As they mature children use computers more independently, and the teacher’s role moves from guidance toward monitoring and active facilitation.

Young children learn through exploration and discovery. If computers are used with children in kindergarten, preschool, or child-care settings, the computer should be one of many activity choices they can explore (Bredekamp & Rosegrant, 1994).

 

During choice time, for example, a computer center may be one of several options.
Children frequently use computers for short periods, then become interested in another activity. Three- to five-year-olds generally spend about the same amount of time at a computer as they do on other activities such as playing with blocks or drawing. They are more interested and less frustrated when an adult is present, and much of the computer use will be facilitated or mediated by the teacher, which is consistent with best
practice at this level (Clements & Nastasi, 1993).

For this age the value of the computer is in its open-ended use, not in creating a product (Davidson & Wright, 1994). The
teacher’s role is to create an environment in which children become aware and explore, and then act to support their exploration and inquiry in many different ways. Software programs for this age group should be limited in number and appropriate for children’s skill level and the intended use.