UWW310 Technology & Early Childhood

When we think of apps for kids, we often think of games for either entertainment or learning. But apps aren't limited to just games or books-apps can provide important social, emotional, and physical experiences too. Family Time with Apps is designed to help parents better understand the variety of ways that apps can support children's healthy development and family learning, communication, and connection.

ABCmouse.com helps kids learn to read through phonics, and teaches lessons in math, social studies, art, music, and much more. For kids age 2 to Kindergarten.

Article discussing pros and cons of technology in the classroom and how much is too much.

Well written article on the benefits and also negative effects of technology on children.

This website is a good resource for eBooks on topics and considerations in using educational technology with early learners. Subjects include selection of technology, monitoring child progress, and how to introduce STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) in the early childhood classroom.

This is a link to a presentation by Prezi Inc, a company that offers technology products that are specifically developed for early childhood classrooms such as smart boards, sensory tables, and light table for science among other products.

This article, from the National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC), provides tips and information about the importance of how and when to use tablets, or any other device with a touch screen, in the early Childhood classrooms due to the increased use of this technology at very young age.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) recently recommended technology and interactive media as effective learning aids. Initial research has shown that children using literacy apps on iPads score higher on literacy assessments than their peers, particularly in their level of phonetic awareness and ability to associate sounds with letters.

This article offers teachers innovative ideas to introduce technology into the classroom.

Who doesn't love Disney? This website offers free internet safety tips bringing children along on an adventure. The goal is to gather all of the tiki jewels and decipher the secret code to reach Treasure Palace! You start with Privacy Falls! Suited for young elementary children.

Assistive technology (AT) can be thought of as any item that supports a child's ability to participate actively in his or her home, childcare program, school, or other community settings. It is a broad term that includes items ranging from something as "low tech" as a foam wedge for positioning to something as "high tech" as a power wheelchair for independent mobility.

Can early childhood education help address disparities in the access to and use of information and communication technology - a disparity known as the digital divide? Can information and communication technology help address early disparities in academic and "soft skills," such as motivation and socialization?

This report answers the questions; How can parents and other family members play a role in the use of technology in early childhood education? What are the barriers to family involvement? How can technology overcome these barriers?

Studies show new technologies are being used successfully to help autistic children develop social skills.

Free games that help children with phonics, letter sounds, blending, segmenting and fluency all while children create their own monster to conquer the Goblin Prince! Primarily first grade but beneficial to early K readers and late second grade readers.

This site contains a lot of information on internet safety for children including FBI tips, cyberbullying tips and links, and rules for kids for being online that can be used in a classroom (including posters).

Applies to preschool, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, special education, homeschool, and English language development (ELD, ELL, ESL). Starfall offers free worksheets, printables, writing journals, and guidelines in ELA. Math support is a fee.

Designed for kids 7-11, or 1st through 8th grade. This is a free sight that helps guide a child (and their parents) through navigating the internet. There are six steps in all that teach how to navigate a tool bar, a search engine, and how to look out for things to avoid. At the end, the child can print out a certificate that says they know how to safely use the Internet!

I loved this line from the article, "technology is just a tool. It shouldn't be used in classrooms or child care centers because it's cool, but because teachers can do activities that support the healthy development of children."