After reading the article, "Children’s Power for Learning in the Age of Technology and Applying Technology to Inquiry-Based Learning in Early Childhood Education", I feel that, with the onslaught of the use of technology in our classrooms, we, as educators, have a very important role in ensuring that our students employ the proper strategies in using it, as well as in a healthy and engaging way.
Firstly, we have to facilitate children's use of technological devices. In terms of using a computer, this can be done by enabling privacy controls and disabling cookies. This is such that children will be able to explore the device and not accidentally access forbidden content. With proper facilitation, children will also learn social skills from sharing a computer with another child.
Secondly, the use of technological devices in the classroom is good, but it has to be used in moderation. Too much exposure may make children in attentive and tired during proper lessons as technological devices are very stimulating. Hence, educators Ned to set up rules in their classrooms regarding the use of technological devices.
Thirdly, educators can make use of technology to adapt them to the needs of their children. As technology is very versatile, we as educators can learn about how to program it and set it to meet the needs of our children by making it age-appropriate, as well as a kind of scaffolding to their zone of proximal development. This provides opportunities for children to learn at their own pace without the need of feeling that they are not able to catch up with their faster peers, as well as faster children not feeling bored.
Hello Charmaine!
ReplyDeleteI agree wholeheartedly with the points you have mentioned above.
Open sharing of information on the internet has made browsing the internet unsafe for children. I myself have accidentally chanced upon inappropriate and obscene materials shared by my Facebook friends on the newsfeed. Hence, adults' close supervision and secured internet settings/and filters must be put in place before allowing children to utilise technological devices.
It is true that technology should be used in moderation within the early childhood classroom. Prolong and constant use of technological devices in the classroom may cause children to lose interest in normal curriculum which is less animated as compared to technological tools. Besides moderating the use of technology, teachers should also ensure that technology is being used purposefully. In my opinion, technological tools should not be used as a classroom management tool. Technological tools should be used to enhance children's learning experience.
Lastly, besides age-appropriateness, technological devices can also be used to meet the needs of children with special needs. Smartphones these days have myriads of applications which can cater to the needs of children with special needs. In addition, the interface of smartphones such as iphone contains functions such as Speak Auto-text, Hearing Aids and Braille which makes technology accessible for people with special needs.