Modeling the World of a Childby Tracey Roden, M.Ed.

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Table of ContentsModeling the World of a Child

by Tracey Roden, M.Ed.

Chapter 1: When's a good time for technology?

Chapter 2: Purposeful

Chapter 3: Playful

Chapter 4: Powerful

Chapter 5: How Istation Can Help

Reference List

Click on subtitle or page number to be directed to that page.

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Chapter 1: When's a good time for technology?

Today’s four- and five-year-olds have never known a world without laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Even the casual observer can see that technology is a natural part of life for today’s young children. Whether at the grocery store, mall, or restaurant, we see children interacting with e-book readers, smartphones, and tablets. Today’s children are born into a society that revolves around our modern technology devices.

Despite the omnipresence of technology in the lives in children, a debate persists about the expanding use of digital technology in early childhood classrooms: does technology enhance or harm the development of young children? The arguments for and against the use of digital technologies in education and entertainment of young children appear to be concerned with the quality and value of children’s experiences with digital technologies and how those experiences impact their development. These arguments raise questions about the value of these devices and what advantages they offer to those children in the formative early years, specifically in the development of academic skills such as early literacy skills.

Those that argue against the increased use of technology in the classroom worry that technology and devices are replacing children’s opportunities to play, talk, and interact with their peers. Others feel that using digital technology will take time away from other activities such as outdoor time, art, and dramatic play. Many view the use of digital technology as another form of screen time and are concerned about the value of content children interact with at home and school.

Yet these concerns ignore a central reality: if a classroom is meant to represent the culture and world in which a child lives, the classroom must not only accommodate technology but also seamlessly integrate it.

Computers and game consoles have been in the homes of young children for decades, and the use of digital mobile devices such as smartphones, iPods, and iPads is growing at a rapid rate. Common Sense Media (2013) reports that 75 percent of children under the age of eight now use mobile devices. That’s three out of every four children.

With increased popularity, tablets are becoming a common household item available for many uses within the family, and oftentimes they are used in play by the family’s youngest members. The use of tablets andtouchscreen technology by young

children is also rapidly increasing insome early childhood settings (Rideout 2013). The touch-operated, tactile devices provide an easy-to-use and intuitive interface for a young child.

As tablets become a part of the context of a child’s world and an object of their play, it is important that these devices are integrated into the early childhood environment. Just as play takes on an important role the in the cognitive development of children, tablet play may also do so for children both today and in the future.

If today’s classrooms are to represent the culture in which our children live, then we should appropriately integrate technology into the classroom. When balanced with other interactive, hands-on experiences, art, music, and outdoor play, technology and com-puter-based learning can be a valuable part of the early childhood classroom.

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Chapter 2: Purposeful

Early childhood educators are continually trying to find the balance between developmentally appropriate practices and the academic benchmarks and rigor identified by the No Child Left Behind Act and the induction of the Common Core State Standards (NCLB: U.S. Department of Education 2001; CCSS: National Governors Association Center for Best Practices 2010). Tablets used during play certainly have the potential to help meet these demands.

That said, technology should not be implemented purely for the sake of it. Integration of computers, touchscreen devices, tablets, etc. should be purposeful and should be done with the intent to benefit all

the young children who use it. Used purposefully, technology in the classroom can provide experiences and activities that naturally enhance each child’s early literacy skills.

Early childhood educators must make thoughtful decisions about the use of technology in their classrooms. Is the intent to teach, practice, or entertain? Does this bring value to the classroom so it can aid instruction? Asking these critical questions is important in determining the best approach to integrating technology and digital media into today’s early childhood classrooms. Building upon the experiences of children and the purpose of the overall instructional plan will allow for a nat-

ural and seamless introduction of technology in the classroom. When children understand the purpose, they can gain other meaningful experiences from their interaction with new tools.

The key to success is integration into the existing curriculum and instructional plan. In this era of rapidly expanding technology use in homes and communities, ignoring the use of digital media and choosing not to integrate it into today’s classroom could be deemed developmentally inappropriate. Technology is a part of a child’s world. Children must have meaningful and purposeful experiences with it in order to develop into twenty-first-century learners.

Is the intent to entertain?

Review the devices or apps intended for use. Decide if the topic and vocabulary are appropriate and engaging for the intended audience.

Is the intent to teach?

Do the objectives meet the needs of your instructional plan?

Is the intent to practice?

Determine how to best integrate the use of the tool into the classroom schedule to supplement instructional goals.

If the objectives do not meet the needs of the classroom, research and review other digital media and devices that do.

If the objective is not to teach, to practice, or to entertain, review and research alternate options that will meet one of these needs.

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Chapter 3: Playful

Play is natural for young children. It is how children experiment with, investigate, and learn about the world. The enjoyable and beneficial aspects of play for children in early childhood classrooms have been well researched. Classrooms are perfect environments for children to engage in play behavior and develop language, social, and cognitive skills through interactions with other children and adults (Copple and Bredekamp 2009). As a natural extension of play, there is also something automatically enticing about games in the eyes of a child. While not all play is game-like, both play and games share one fundamental component: interactivity.

If we observe how children are already using digital technology, it’s easy to see that they view technology as an interactive and social tool for many activities: • songs • reading • games • writing • drawing • creating

Of course, as educators we have a natural inclination and gift for making learning and exploration interactive. We learned long ago to help children interact with text through classroom discussion. We’ve been drawing pictures, singing songs, and playing games for centuries. Technology doesn’t replace the ways we interact with children or the ways children interact with us. Instead, technology augments our interactions and opens the door to new possibilities.

If you are still struggling with technology use in the classroom and worry that it creates silos rather than social bonds, try these proven methods for bringing interactivity back to the center of the classroom space:

• Unplug – Have children unplug headphones from devices and listen, watch, and interact with their peers and the digital activities and content they are using on their own devices.

• Teacher Table – Use digital media and technology as part of the learning objectives of small group time at the teacher table. Many games and apps can be used in place of more traditional paper-based activities while also being more interactive.

• Partners – Encourage children to use one device together. Sharing tools is an excellent way to encourage interaction, play, and talk!

• Mobility – Providing mobile technology such as smartphones and tablets allows students to move the interactivity with them and integrate it into their learning throughout the classroom. Whether it is in the dramatic play center or with blocks, technology can support and enhance learning when integrated with the normal activities of the classroom.

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Chapter 4: Powerful

Virtually every facet of modern life is impacted in some way by technology. Its prominence in our daily activities is often taken for granted, if not overlooked completely. From the automatic timer that starts the coffee pot each morning to the sensor that controls the car’s fuel gauge, we are surrounded by technological advances that have revolutionized the way we live. Our schools, however, have not experienced the same level of technological advancement. The degree of sophistication and level of technology use by students is a direct reflection of the times in which they live, and its integration into their jobs is inevitable. The intentional and incremental development of tech skills and practicing their application is necessary in order to sufficiently prepare children for success in their future careers.

Couse and Chen (2010) studied the viability of the stylus tablet computer as a learning tool in early childhood education setting. One of their findings was that “tablet computer technology allows a unique opportunity for children to be in control of their thinking and learning in a way that is more closely aligned with traditional paper and pencil media . . .” They maintained that tablet technology “holds potential as a learning tool and as a means to implement technology standards in early education.” They also found that preschool children learn to use the devices quickly, independently, and confidently.

When educators are intentional and selective with its use, technology

can be powerful. In a study using iPod touch devices and PBS-created content for ages three to seven, Choing and Shuler (2010) found that children made gains in vocabulary and phonological awareness, with children ages three to five making the greatest gains. A more recent study of kindergarteners randomly assigned to iPad use for literacy focus found that children using the tablet had greater gains than those who

did not and found strong effects on phonemic awareness and letter/sound representation (Bebell, Dorris, and Muir 2012). Ultimately, when used well technology enhances early childhood education (NAEYC and Fred Rogers Center 2012). Thinking and learning in a multimedia environment is the reality of children today. Integration of today’s tools into their classrooms enriches their overall early childhood experience.

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PlayfulPurposefulPowerful

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Chapter 5: How Istation Can Help

At Istation, we understand and respect the needs of young children. We want the integration of our products to support the values and goals of early childhood education. Istation Reading, Istation Español, and Istation Math each have content that is designed specifically for the young learner. We take great care when creating educational content meant for the early childhood classroom to ensure that is purposeful, interactive, and engaging while encouraging social interactions. Each lesson is designed

to be developmentally appropriate for young children. Skills are taught through songs, games, and many interactive activities that not only keep children engaged but also allow learning to be exciting and fun. At the same time, all activities have an educational purpose with the intent of learning. While children work within the programs, they are encouraged to clap, sing along, and talk about their learning.

When used intentionally and appropriately, Istation products can

support learning and enhance the early childhood experience. While young children are meant to have fun and enjoy the programs that are created with them in mind, the primary goal is to make sure their time with computer-based learning is worthwhile.

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Reference List

Bebell, Damian, Sue Dorris, and Mike Muir. 2012. “Emerging Results From the Nation’s First Kindergarten Implementation of iPads.” https://s3.amazonaws.com/hackedu/Adv2014_ResearchSum120216.pdf.

Chiong, Cynthia, and Carly Shuler. 2010. Learning: Is there an app for that? Investigations of young children’s usage and learning with mobile devices and apps. New York: The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop.

Copple, Carol, and Sue Bredekamp, eds. 2009. Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Couse, Leslie J., and Dora W. Chen. 2010. “A Tablet Computer for Young Children? Exploring Its Viability for Early Childhood Education.” Journal of Research on Technology in Education 43 (1) 75-98.

National Association for the Education of Young Children and Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media. 2012. “Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8.” http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PS_technology_WEB2.pdf.

National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. 2010. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. Washington, DC: National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers.

No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, P.L. 107-110, 20 U.S.C. § 6319. 2002.

Rideout, Victoria. 2013. Zero to Eight: Children’s Media Use in America 2013. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense Media.

www.istation.com/Product/EarlyReading

@IstationEd

www.istation.com/Product/EarlyReading