The Role of Technology in Early Childhood Programs

Short Biography of the Author

Francis Wardle, Ph.D., is the author of the book Tomorrow’s Children: Meeting the Needs of Multiracial and Multiethnic Children at Home, in Early childhood Programs, and at Schools (CBSC).  He is also the director for the Center of Biracial Children. Francis Wardle, Ph.D., teaches as an assistant professor at the University of Phoenix/Colorado.

What was the article about? In what way is the article valuable to you as an ECE professional?

The article discusses regarding the future of technology around children and how educators can provide the most effective usage of the technology in classrooms. This article indicates that “technology will be part of the learning landscape of the future” (Wardle, 2008).  For educators to make sure that this new technology in classrooms is used effectively the educators must be trained, supported, and have restrictions on the internet sites that are being used by children such as the sites should be developmentally appropriate. Also, the educator at this point is required to provide goals and objectives based on the technology around them according to the education program. An issue raised in the article is that technology should not take away the educators abilities to use materials and other essential resources such as staff training. Technology should not be replacing the commitment that educators need to educate the child as a whole with appropriate understanding of child development. Overall, the article states that we should constantly attempt to use technology in powerful ways for such things as individualizing, gain knowledge regarding disabilities and different learning styles, and bringing the outside world to the classroom for the learning advantage to the children.

In what way is the article valuable to you as an ECE professional?

As an Early childhood educator this article is valuable to me because it provides an insight on if the inclusion of computers within classroom environment is effective for the development of young children. Furthermore, each program has a goal and if technology in classrooms helps achieve the program goal it is the role of the ECE to provide the inclusion of technology. The goal and objective of each program should be based on the development of children and age appropriate technology would be effective towards including new materials in classrooms. It is the responsibility of each educator to inquire and learn how computers could be incorporated within classroom environments. The article includes options and opportunities for Early Childhood educators for the inclusion of technology to be a part of the classroom environment for the effectiveness of children’s learning. The article states that experts in child development have concluded that children under age of 3 should not be introduced to computers as it is not developmentally appropriate; however children age 3 and above are able to explore effectively. Therefore, older children would use commuters effectively to learn about themselves and their environment by active learning and manipulating objects making computers developmentally appropriate for the specific age group. This is valuable knowledge for educators in the profession to be informed how and when the inclusion of computers and technology in classrooms would be necessary according to age appropriateness.

My Pedagogy and Philosophy as an Early Childhood Educator

I believe that the purpose of early childhood education is necessary to build a diverse society that contains knowledge and understanding of the world. Children learn differently at different times as compared to other children in the same community. Each child has their own developmental capacity and stages that they accomplish at different speeds. I believe education for children should be based on the learning of each child individually. Focus of the learning should be based on the children interacting with other student, their environment and educators. A computer offer children with a variety of learning styles and offers a large opportunity for learning. The learning materials offered with technology is diverse and it is possible to focus on each child’s development individually using the learning offered with technology. There are also tools offered for children with learning disabilities which is important for me as an educator where each child is included in the process of learning to explore the world around them.

Aticle Reviewed:

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=302

Wardle, F. (n.d.). Earlychildhood NEWS – Article Reading Center. Earlychildhood NEWS – Article Reading Center. Retrieved October 26, 2013, from http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=302

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