Technology and Early Childhood Education - Article Example

Technology and Early Childhood Education Introduction Technology is a recent development that has been widely used in many fieldsto 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. Use of technology in early childhood education Technology forms the most vital element of life in the world today. Every aspect of our lives is dominated by technology and its importance in our lives is indispensable. One of the outstanding facts about technology use in schools is its controversial nature. There is no common agreement by stakeholders in technology and educations sectors about the use of technology in schools. There are two different factions, one supporting use of technology as a positive aspect, while the other faction disagrees, citing the detrimental effects of technology in students. However, the use of technology in classrooms catering for children continues to increase, as education develops more interesting ways of enhancing understanding in children. eLearning provides the future for classroom teaching. Debates have centered on the appropriateness of computers in development of children. According to Elkind (1998), computers are development appropriate for children above the age of three, and children within this age and above can successfully use computers. Haugland (1999) dispels the notion that computer use among children is developmentally inappropriate by citing that many factors that may affect children usage of computers are still the same with the factors that affect usage of computers even at old age. These factors involve the ‘tasks of manipulating a wide variety of tools in the process of learning about themselves and their environment’ (Haugland, 1999). Developmental psychologists have noted that the use of computers by children lie within the Piaget’s preoperational stage. This implies that children at age three and above are learners with the desire to use learned symbolic representation, which is in form of speaking, writing, and drawing. Their mobility necessitates the adoption of physical learning strategies, which can be provided by computers (Haugland, 1992). Examples of Technologies used in Early Childhood Education Reading Techonology: Montessori Words This is one of the applications that are used in early childhood to help the children to read. Based on its proven Montessori learning method, it has a crossword which helps children in develop reading and spelling skills. The children build words from a set of 320 word-image-audio-phonics combinations utilizing a phonics-enabled movable alphabet. The application assists the children to comprehend that words are made up of phonemes or sounds. Writing Technology: Letter Quiz This is an application that is used to help children to write letters. It is a tracing app which puts letters on a blackboard just as one has written them. After all the letters are written, it puts up a digital little digital fireworks show for correct letters. This is very impressive to the kids and they continue to use the app in order to see the fireworks another time. This is a fun way for kids to learn how to write. Additionally, it teaches the children letter identification and they can write words clearly without making mistakes. Mathematics Technology: Count Sort Match This is a mathematics application that is very engaging. It has a “count” area where children are prompted to count objects. The application teaches the kids the numerals (1) and written number (one). The “Sort” part of the application that is particularly compelling, especially when used with the “Match” game. The application offers kids an opportunity to match a collection of objects to the numerals available. This is a great application for strengthening accurate counting. Advantages of using technology in early childhood education Gardner (1987) stated that children require diverse learning styles, which cannot be provided by the conventional teaching styles. Thus, technology is the only tool that can be used to offer diverse learning styles among a wide group of students. However, only the effective use and integration of technology in the mainstream learning styles can enhance the appropriateness of technology use in children classrooms. The most utilized technological development is personal computers. It has been suggested that the debates on the use of technology in classrooms is outdated and focus should tilt on how we can use technology in classrooms to enhance childhood development. Whereas, many view technology use in classrooms as a domain of the more developed children, research studies suggests that early childhood can equally and highly benefit from use of technology in classrooms. Technology can enhance learning, children development, and communication, which are vital in education. In many cases, children are exposed to computers later in life, which may create resistance due to familiarization with other modes of learning. This is despite of the inevitability of computer use in one’s life. It is awkward to dispel the use of technology given the ease of acquisition of technological equipment like computers. There are many uses of technology in early childhood education. Research suggests that appropriate and effective use of technology in children education can provide wonderful results. However, there is a need to provide guidance in the selection, development, and implementation of technological tools in early learning. It is equally essential to provide an environment that enables proper use of technology for the purposes of enhancing childhood learning. One of the uses of technology among children is enhancing social interactions. When computers and software programs are effectively used, they act as catalysts for social interactions and create conversations that not only help children to work together but also enhance their development. A classroom setup can be used to encourage interactions among children. The interactions increase the development of literacy and language capability. Tutors can utilize strategies to build socialization like placing computers closely together to encourage close talks and sharing of ideas, encouraging more than one child to use one computer to enhance teamwork, and placing computers in a location where children are encouraged to participate proactively. Technology develops high response in students and develops individual learning capabilities, through formation of windows of their thoughts. Education in children is more successful when learning is reinforced using some teaching aids, for example, photos and objects. Face-to-face teaching provides many obstacles due to the high number of teaching aids required per children. With the use of technology, it is easier and less costly. Computers allow tutors to develop slideshows containing teaching aids, which reinforces the lessons as well as creating interests in the activities (Donohue, 2003). Further, computers can be used to dictate words and sentences enhance development of language and language use. Computers offer children chances of exploring as they filter through various sources of information stored in the computers. Experimental learning develops student involvement, generates more understanding, and is useful in a wide range of languages. While oral language skills form the basis of literacy, practice sessions provide chances for children to converse and develop new vocabulary in relation to the work, as they interact during learning. Technology use gives tutors a wide range of teaching aids that include graphs and other visual representations. Although, this aids must be arranged in special programs from special software, they offer children experience about collection and organization of information as the major basics of enquiring and answering questions. Like photos and pictures, visual representations reinforce information in children and provide alternative ways of understanding information among children. Visual representations also provide students with collective memory development and teachers can use them to develop narrative capabilities in children. For example, photos, recorded students activities, and PowerPoint representations can be used to develop writing skills in children. Technological tools are used extensively in helping students struggling with understanding various classroom subjects. For example, children have difficulties with learning certain concepts. Technology provides essential help and support to children with such difficulties. Computer games, software, and concept-tailored programs, which offer help to children, are available via technological tools. For example, numerous computer websites offer learning help to children with difficulties on different concepts. These websites offer children the knowledge, exercises, and visual presentations that reinforce the knowledge acquired. Disadvantages of technology use in children classrooms One of the major disadvantages of using technology in children classrooms is the neglect of other children development needs and the emphasis on acquisition of academic skills. Computer use is geared towards the development of early literary skills in children and not on other developmental needs. Technology use presents a grave danger in that children developmental needs that include physical exercises, exploration of natural environment and communities, participating in arts, music, and dances, learning specific community moral values, social skills, and virtues, and experiencing diverse community aspects through interactions, that cannot be learned using technology will be greatly undermined and compromised. Technology especially computers offer easy access to information, which is viewed as one of the disadvantages of using technology in children learning. People argue that such easy access to information will reduce the development of essential world survival tactics like persistence, creativity, stubbornness, social proficiency, and hard work (Fred Rogers Center, 2012). This is a real fear as the world is becoming more difficult to live and people with less survival skills find it hard to cope with the pressure. Further, there is a possibility that is technology used in a developmentally inappropriate manner. Although, technology is one of the most resourceful children development tools, failure to ensure strict adherence to regulations may enhance wrong usage by tutors, parents, and the children as well. Another major disadvantage of using technology is the exposure of children to inappropriate information and visual materials if the source of materials and information is not monitored. For example, computers connected to internet can be used to access pornographic materials or other age inappropriate information. In the current digital age, children are spending more time in front of technological tools like computers, televisions, smart phones, and tablets among other tools. To complicate the situation further, the development of touch-sensitive technology and movement-activated tools has created a completely new world for children as far as use of technology in classrooms are concerned (Fred Rogers Center, 2012). A major disadvantage of continued exposure of children to these technological devices especially in learning is that it deprives the children’s minds of precious development time in societal aspects like socialization. On the other hand, the uncontrolled exposure of children to such technological gadgets may affect the learning and development of children. Professional health organizations and child advocacy programs have voiced concerns about the effects on health of children exposed to technology use in classrooms. Non-interactive or passive technology use is said to have detrimental health effects like obesity due to the long hours of rest when using the tools. Lack of physical exercises among children using technology in classrooms may also cause problems in child development, obesity and other health-related problems. Health organizations dealing with obesity in children have recommended that the time children are exposed to technological tools should be reduced to enhance other development related activities like physical exercises (Fred Rogers Center, 2012). The organizations point out at food and beverage coverage in technological tools and associated consumption as a major cause of obesity in children. Technology creates a suitable environment for interaction among children. It is impossible to dispense the fact that current children exposed to digital media have developed complex skills that can be used in a wide range of inappropriate ways. Technology offers myriad ways of interaction. This provides a major disadvantage as technology can be misused or overused by children. Research studies have identified that over-using technology in children classrooms interrupts and develops irregular sleep patterns. This may interfere with the development of children and cause other social and health problems. Over-exposure has also been credited with behavioral problems, focus and attention problems, and general decrease in classroom performance. Children may also have problems with socialization and language development due to lack of active interactions with technology in classrooms. Since inception of technology and interactive media in children classrooms, issues of inequity and inaccessibility has been cited. This is a major disadvantage, as children do not have equal accessibility to technology in classrooms. Another disadvantage is the input needed to manage technology use in children learning. Childcare professionals and tutors require a lot of energy, experience and expertise to manage children learning using technological tools like computers (Fred Rogers Center, 2012). Social impacts on society Technology in early childhood education has positive and negative social benefits to the society. Technology enhances the development of children in academic circles. This includes development of language and writing skills, which also enhances communication between children and other members of the society. Alongside development of these skills, is the development of the mind, which enhances and lowers the amount of time and care devoted to children. In addition, technology use reduces the amount of time spent teaching a child, as it offers most of the necessary learning elements. However, use of technology has negative aspects in the society. Technology use may have effects on the behaviors and socialization of children in the society. Long exposure to technological tools reduces the time for other developmental areas like socialization and acquisition of social values, morals, and skills that affects the behaviors of children. Other social impacts of technology use in children education is problem of how children can acquire life skills that are not provided by technology-related education. These skills are useful in later life of children and therefore it may have negative consequences on the society. Technology use in children education may also create burdens in the society of taking care of health-challenged children. Long exposure of children to technological tools is cited as a risk factor in obesity among children. Further, there are other social impacts that may arise due to technology use in children education (Donohue, 2012). Conclusion Technology in early childhood education is a controversial issue, which remains debatable. Technology remains a subtle element of children education, which needs a lot of attention and focus to reduce the negative impacts on development of children. Research suggests that technology use and especially computers enhances development of children when properly used. On the other hand, the uncontrolled use of technology in childhood education may produce negative effects and impair development in children. Uses of technology in childhood education range from enhancing social interactions, language development to initial computer use skills. It is important to note that, technology use in children education is a matter of how it can be harnessed for the purposes of learning in children. Research by health professionals argues that technology use in children education can produce detrimental health effects especially obesity. Thus, children exposure to technological gadgets like computers and tablets among others should be greatly checked. References Donohue, C. (2003). Technology in early childhood education: an exchange trend report. Child Care Information Exchange, 17-20. Elkind, D. (1998). Computers for infants and young children. Child Care Information Exchange, 123, 44-46. Fred Rogers Centre. (2012). Technology and interactive media as tools in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Washington, DC: NAEYC. Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: the theory of multiple intelligencies. New York, NY: Basic Publishers. Haugland, W. (1992). Effects of computer software on preschool children’s developmental gains. Journal of Computing in Early Childhood, 3(1), 15-30. Haugland, W. (1999). What role should technology play in young children’s learning? Young Children, 54(9), 26-30. Read More