Introduction
Even though too much technology will cause the child not to think outside the box but look for other technology to bail out the child's thought process, technology does allow the child to learn quicker. Because technology allows the teacher to develop lessons at the child’s pace and learning level and Visual and interactive technology allows the child to learn and correct their errors without feeling hurt or discouraged. Children need real-life experiences with real people to benefit from available technologies. Technologies used to enhance curriculum and experiences for children benefit young children the greatest are those that are interactive and allow the child to develop their curiosity, problem solving and independent thinking skills.
Technology increasingly finds its way into mainstream culture, the types and uses of technology in early childhood programs have also expanded dramatically to include computers, tablets, e-books, mobile devices, handheld gaming devices, digital cameras and video camcorders, electronic toys, multimedia players for music and videos, digital audio recorders, interactive whiteboards, software applications, the Internet, streaming media, and more. These technologies are increasingly expanding the tools and materials to which young children have access both in their homes and in their classrooms, affecting the ways in which young children interact with the world and with others. (NAEYC, 2011)
The topic is controversial of technology in early childhood education while exciting and potentially valuable things are happening with children and computers, we may not be using these tools in the best ways, or obtaining the results we expect. The more useful question is what are ...
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NAEYC. (2011). Technology in early childhood programs Retrieved December 8, 2011 from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Draft Technology in Early Childhood Programs 4-29-2011.pdf
Scoer, J., Ellis, D., & Railsback, J. (2001, June) Technology in early childhood education finding the balance. Retrieved December 9, 2011 from http://www.netc.org/earlyconnections/byrequest.pdf
Theodotou, E. (2010, September 18). Using computers in early years education: What are the effects on children's development? some suggestions concerning beneficial computer practice. International Scientific Conference , Retrieved December 9, 2011 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED514555.pdf
Young children and computers. (2011). Retrieved December 10, 2011 from http://www.whattoexpect.com/toddler/toddler-learning/young-children-and-computers.aspx
The role of technology in early childhood education is a controversial topic to both teachers and parents. The main concerns of both teachers and parents is the potential benefits for young children’s learning and development.. Supporters and non-supporters agree on the importance of young children’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical development. Supporters feel children should have the opportunity to use the computer as another tool to aide in and encourage their development. Non-supporters agree the computer may be a useful tool for young children but feel many teachers may not be using the computers in the best way to promote a healthy development in the child. They also contend that introducing the computer takes away from important learning experiences such as play and art (NWREL, 2001). School programs are now working on ways to better integrate computers into the classrooms in order to offer the young children the opportunities to develop the necessary skills to grow as students (Gimbert, 2004). The purpose of this research paper is to examine the controversies that surround technology use in early childhood classrooms.
To continue, everyone can agree that children need a healthy environment to develop cognitive, social, emotional, physical and linguistic development. How much technology can improve or distract from these essential skills varies with age. The impact and implications of technology tools on young children has been studied and researched through the Let’s Move Childcare initiative and results concluded that little to no “screen time” is preferred for children under the age of two. For children two years or older, the recommended “screen time” is limited to thirty minutes per week in the classroom setting. (White House, 2011.)
Technology is a recent development that has been widely used in many fields to enhance productivity and output. For instance, it has been incorporated in the education sector to allow easier access to information. Mostly, technology in education has taken the form of using computers and related accessories like software to enhance the learning capacity, information access, and development of students’ learning capabilities. In essence, extensive use of technology in classrooms has reduced the workload of tutors while enhancing the overall performance of students through employment of various programs aimed at developing the learning of students. Technology is used on all sorts of classroom scenarios including early childhood education. Some technologists and educations specialists, however, cite that use of technology in early childhood may be detrimental. This paper seeks to explore both the positive and negative attributes of use of technology in early childhood education.
Dever, M. & Falconer, R. (2008). Foundations and Change In Early Childhood Education. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (p. 3-4, 12). 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ
Technology is becoming more and more dominant in our society.Everyday upgrades are being made and new innovations are being discovered. Technology is all around us whether we want it to be or not: it is the vehicles we drive, it can be found in our homes, and can even be found in the grocery store.Every place we look there is some type of technology.I believe technology has had a major impact on our school systems and is still impacting it today.There are those who do not agree, though, that technology has impacted our schools.Eric Gormly writes, “In fact, many theorists point out the overall impact of technology on education has been quite small, manifesting little discernible change in the classroom.” [1]Yes, there are some schools that are not as advanced as others, but many of them do have a significant amount of technology in them.I find it fascinating that so much technology has been incorporated into our classrooms, but I believe that, even with all of the positive aspects that are associated with technology, there are some negative and even dangerous aspects that should be taken into account.I will be sharing some of the equipment that has been used in the schools, how both the students and the teachers use the equipment, and also the positive and negative effects that technology has had on our schools.
Subrahmanyam, K. (2000). The Impact of Home Computer Use on Children’s Activities and Development: The Future of Children and Computer Technology, 10(2), 123-143. Retrieved from http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/Web/People/kraut/RKraut.site.files/articles/subrahmanyam00-Compute%26kids.pdf
Not many people would argue that computer technology is bad for the K-12 classroom. There is, however, a serious and thought-provoking debate going on regarding computer technology in the classroom. At issue is to what extent and at what age should computers be integrated in American classrooms. There is no question that a certain level of technology will bring improvements in academic achievement. In one study on children of low socioeconomic status a definite improvement was seen. It was noted that, “Increasing the technology available to students encourages, facilitates, and supports student achievement – at the elementary level, the most profound effects were found in the area of mathematics” (Page 391). Page also states that, “numerous studies have demonstrated that young children’s self-esteem or self-concept directly affects their academic performance” (Page 391).
This article addresses how children have mastered the art of technology from a very early age. The internet allows for faster learning than textbooks because it helps children choose an avenue of learning that suits them best. Research has proven that vocabulary expands at a quicker rate with the use of technology. This article provides information from a variety of news sources and a professional writer. Harsh Wardhan Dave is a media and communications specialist. Harsh Wardhan has a passion for finding the right blend of technology and creativity in his writings. This source is relevant to the thesis statement because it also validates that we need to make the most of technology and the internet while still providing a healthy balance as well as ensuring a safe environment so that we can provide our children the best of both worlds.
Some say that technology is a distraction and hinders the students from fully learning and developing important skills that they claim only the interactions with the teacher can provide. Teachers have said that technology is a powerful tool that allows them to introduce and demonstrate learning activities in a completely new way. It has been studied and proven that most kids are more motivated and interested in the concepts they are supposed to learn when the teaching tool of technology is used. A fifth grade teacher stated, “Technology is the ultimate carrot for students. It's somet...
Technology, as we all know, is helping and improving many disciplines of life. Technology, in Britannica Encyclopedia, is defined as the application of scientific knowledge to the practical aims of human life. (Britannica, 2009)
Modern technology has made it so much easier to obtain educational information for classroom or homework assignments. It offers educational games that stimulate the brain and help children who have difficulties focusing on traditional teaching and learning procedures. College students are even taking advantage of online courses that many colleges are offering as an alternative to physically attending classes. Advances in technology and computers will continue to play an important role in education for many generations to come.
Subrahmanyam, K., Kraut, R., Greenfield, P., & Gross, E. “The Impact of Home Computer Use on Children’s Activities and Development.” Journal Issue: Children and Computer Technology, 10(2). n.p. Web. 2000.
Andy Carvin states “ internet access in schools isn’t worth a hill of beans if teachers aren’t prepared to take full advantage of technology” (2000). Schools spend a lot of money on computer hardware and software as well as other technologies without realizing that many of their employees are unprepared to include them in their teaching and use them to their advantages. Educators often use technology as a classroom management tool rather than an educational one, allowing computer time as a reward for good behavior (Clark & Gorski, 2001). The problem with this is that students learn to use the computer for games and such because it is their reward instead of using it on their own time for educational purposes. This is teaching them the wrong idea. Margaret Honey, director of the Center for Children and Technology in NYC said it best, “The bottom line is, you don’t just put technology into schools or into homes and expect miracles to happen. The technology is only as good as the program that surrounds it” (Meyer, 2002, p.2).
Technology in education is a touchy subject in the United States. Many parents believe that technology will only hurt their child in future, while some believe that technology will help their child. Parents have to be open and must allow themselves, to see what is happening before they make their decision.
Technology properly used in the classroom has many advantages to a student’s learning. Technology can help students become more involved in their own learning process, which is not seen in the traditional classroom. It allows them to master basic skills at their own rate rather than being left behind. Teachers and students alike can connect to real life situations by using technology in the classroom; this can also help to prepare students for real world situations. Technology can be used to motivate students as well as to offer more challenging opportunities. It can also be used as a visualization tool to keep students interested in the subject that is being taught. When technology is used effectively, students have the opportunity to develop skills that they may not get without the use of technology (Cleaver, 2011). Assessing and monitoring students is easier on the teacher because of the ability to use technology in the classroom. When technology is used correctly it offers limitless resources to a classroom atmosphere.