Should Screen time (technology) be part of the curriculum and allowed in early childhood settings?

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There are different views of why technology screen should be part of the curriculum and allowed in early childhood settings.

Technology gives teachers the opportunity to provide and design learning environments for children. Technology has also increased children’s engagement in the classrooms and centres. It builds relationships between children and peers and as well as relationships between children and teachers. These relationships can be formed when both the child and teacher are engaged in an activity on any screens (Steinhoff, 2016).
Image 8. Source from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education-k-12/reports/2013/06/25/67886/the-top-10-myths-about-preschool/


Children can use screens such as I-pads to actively observe their learning environment and to capture and record their learning experiences with their peers. Technology is already part of children’s lives, so it is important for teachers to provide safe technology in the centre for children to explore. This will develop the child’s learning and understanding about the outside world and its tools. It is suggested for teachers to provide learning experiences for children in healthy and safe ways that will enhance their learning. Technology helps children develop different and new skills such as exploration, collaboration and communication. (Ministry of Education, 2005). Te Whariki states that children develop skills of using educational technologies to express moods, feelings or represent information when they experience and discover different ways to be creative and expressive. Children also build an understanding of the basic things about the technology world when they explore technology in a meaningful way (Ministry of Education, 2017).
Image 9. Source from http://kidsopenhouse.com/technology-in-early-childhood-education/


Reference:

Ministry of Education. (2005). Foundations for Discovery. Supporting Learning in Early Childhood through information and Communication Technologies: A Framework for Development. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2017). Te Whāriki: He Whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa/Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.



Steinhoff, A. (2016). The Use of Technology in Early Childhood Classrooms. Retrieved from https://novakdjokovicfoundation.org/use-technology-early-childhood-classrooms/


Comments

  1. Unknown23 April 2018 at 05:55

    Hi Lolo. While i agree that technology plays a huge part in our fast paced ever changing lives i still question the need for it in an early childhood education centre. yes it can be an effective education tool if used properly but with the saturation of technology in our daily lives is it not best to give children time in their day to put away the screens and calm their brains and learn in a healthy natural environment where they can play with their peers and have actual human interactions? just a though from my perspective as a parent with technology and a teacher who works with their own child. each to their own i guess

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Reference

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Blackwell, C. K., Lauricella, A. R., & Wartella, E. (2014). Factors influencing digital technology use in early childhood education. Computer and Education, 2014 (77), 82-90. Campaign for a Commercial- Free Childhood. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/sites/default/files/kidsandscreens_0.pdf Canadian Paediatric Society. (2017). Screen time and young children: Promoting health and development in a digital world. Paediatrics & Child Health, 22 (8),461-468. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/pxx123 Canadian Paediatric Society. (2017). Screen time and young children: Promoting health and development in a digital world. Paediatrics & Child Health, 22 (8),461-468. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/pxx123 Duch, H., Fisher, E. M., Ensari, I., & Harrington, A. (2013). Screen time use in children under 3 years old: a systematic review of correlates. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. Retrieved from https://ijbnpa.bi
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