Technology in Early Childhood
Introduction
When designing for a developmentally appropriate curriculum, there are certain aspects which one need to know about any given curriculum. In our case of technology in early childhood, what principles does the curriculum designer need to consider when designing the curriculum so that to expose children to the new technology which they are living in? Teachers have a hard time because for any given curriculum they are provided, they should ensure that they follow what is there and ensure students have understood what is intended for them. Students are supposed to make meaningful choices for their life with the help of teachers, (Tettegah, 2006). Our essay will look at technology in early childhood. What designers of such curriculum need to do so that to give teachers an easy time for making students understand what is being taught in their curriculum. We shall look on several articles which have covered this topic and also bring our own views of what should be included to make it successful.
Discussion
A good curriculum is the one which creates conducive environment for both students and teachers. Teachers are supposed to select a curriculum which contains activities which are of the same level with those students who are to be taught. In order to successful implement a good curriculum, teachers should put some common grounds which will bring the issue of what need to be taught and what students know about the issues which have been planned, (Haugland, 2000). We have several questions which will help us to understand on how to successfully implementation of development appropriate integrated curriculum.
Ø Is the use of computer developmentally appropriate?
Ø What do the students know about the technology?
Ø Do teachers have the ability to implement technology principles required in early childhood and apply them in teaching those students new ideas in current set up?
Ø Will the use of technology bring social isolation among children?
Ø What are the most crucial and critical aspects that teachers should include when teaching students about the new technology?
Ø How does technology affect the behaviors of children as compared to early days when there was no technology?
Ø Should the technology be integrated in the entire curriculum?
Those are some of the questions which will help us in doing our literature review on designing a good curriculum based on technology in early childhood.It is evidently that we always find means on how to solve numerous problems which encounter our life, (Martin, 2001). When we talk about education in general, we can say that technology does play a major role in reducing complexity of what need to be done so that someone gets appropriate knowledge. Just to mention, there are some advantages of integrating technology in early childhood curriculum. Research shows that technology increases our academic skills, cases of dropouts are minimized and the rate of SAT has increased in those areas where they use technology.
Is the use of computer developmentally appropriate?
Research on technology and children have suggested that computer developmentally appropriate is not good for those children who are below the age three years (Haugland, 1999). When designing and developing a curriculum, Haugland suggested that teachers should start using technology on their curriculum when dealing with students who are of age three and above. Some of issues which hinder successful implementation of curriculum of technology in early childhood also affect those older children and there it is wise for designers and teachers to ensure that they have covered all the aspects which need to make students education match with technology when designing and also implementing the curriculum. “Active learners busily manipulating a wide variety of objects…and in the process of learning about themselves and their environment” (Haugland, 1999, p. 26).
What do the students know about the technology?
It is evidently that there are some of the considerations which we need to look when designing early childhood and technology curriculum. This is because there are some of the basics which we might assume that students are aware only to find they do not know. Research shows that when integrating such curriculum with the current technology, we need to look at the developmental needs of both teachers and students and specially students because they are the one to be affected by the curriculum, (Haugland, 2000). At time it becomes hard for teachers to integrate technology and what they are supposed to give those small children. It is therefore wise to consider that at this age students are very mobile and they keep on changing from one thing to another. According to Elkind, 1998, children at the early childhood stage are developing at Piaget’s preoperational stage and thus we should know that this is the level where students are learning new things and thus we should design our curriculum such that it has basics of the technology which will enable the students to have urge of knowing more and more things when still young, (Martin, 2001).
What are the most crucial things we need to employ in integrating technology in early childhood curriculum?
According to Howard Gardner, it is not appropriate to use the tradition approach of teaching when making students learn new things. Children have a wide range of learning styles which can be applied in their curriculum and thus one way is by integrating technology in their curriculum, (Wardle, 2000). Technology has made the work of teachers easy because at this point teachers are in a position to control children unlike in those old days. When integrating the technology when designing curriculum for young children, we must remember that they are still young and this is the crucial point where they need to get enough knowledge and also consider all the approaches which can be used in implementing and integrating technology in their curriculum. One of the dangers which are subjected in integrating technology with their curriculum is that children will tend to get academic skills in a fast way preventing other basic development needs in children to have their portion as children grow, (Haugland, 1992).
Will the use of technology bring social isolation among children?
One of the most important aspect which we need to ask ourselves is will technology prevent students from interacting with each other? It is believed that most students who are using more of information technology tend to spend a lot of time alone as compared to students who interact when schooling. Isolation of children as a use of technology was an old way of thinking but research have disapproved this, (Martin, 2001). According to Wardle, computers when used by students acts a way of socializing because students are able to have friends in different parts of the world unlike just having friends within their education environment set up. Research shows that technology should be implemented in early childhood curriculum because students are believed to spend a lot of time using computers as compared with normal learning approach. When students use new technology, there is a greater chance of them having new friends and share more as compared to students who just sit and use the normal method of education. Research on technology and children mode of education suggests that students are much comfortable in doing work together as when they are left to accomplish their tasks alone. It is therefore much better to find ways on ensuring that technology is integrated accordingly when designing curriculum for young students, (Haugland, 2000).
Conclusion
We should make technology to be part of school programs and activities so that to prepare students for a better future. In order to ensure that technology have been implemented and integrated accordingly, we must ensure that teachers have basics of teaching students so that they can find the curriculum better than a burden. We must ensure that technology have been used appropriately not to prevent other developmental needs which students are supposed to know when they are growing.
Reference:
Martin, D. J. (2001). Constructing early childhood science: Cengage Learning
Haugland, S. W. (1992). Effects of computer software on preschool children’s developmental gains. Journal of Computing in Early Childhood, 3 (1) 15-30.
Morrison, G. S. (2008). Early Childhood Education Today: Prentice Hall
Haugland, S. W. (2000). Early childhood classrooms in the 21st century: Using computers to maximize learning. Young Children, 55 (1), 12-18.
Tettegah, S. Y. (2006). Technology and education: issues in administration, policy, and applications in K12 schools: Emerald Group Publishing
Wardle, F. {2000). How children learn: The order in mess. Children and Families, 14 (4), 82-83.
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