Q&A FROM WEBINAR: Teaching in the Digital Age: Smart Tools for Early Learners

 I like the idea of using technology for research, even as young as Pre-K. What about iPad games for early math, sorting, matching games etc? Math Series, McGraw Hill Everyday Math, Memory Cards, more to come!

Any ideas about how to fund technology opportunities for an early childhood setting? Publicly funded settings can utilize DonorsChoose.org for funding on supplies, materials, and equipment (including technology).  This website helps users develop a classroom profile for donors to view and review projects to be funded.  Classrooms across the country take advantage of this great funding resource.

Privately funded settings, including home day care settings can take advantage of a similar funding source, iloveschools.com.

Digital Wish is funding resource, similar to the above grant-writing resources however it is focused on technology equipment.

So, the doc cam is an add-on to the SMART Board and once you take a picture of a page in a book or a document, you can then see that on the SMART Board? Yes, and in some document cameras, photographs can also be saved to an SD card (same card in a point and shoot camera)

I’d love to hear if others are using iPads for GOLD assessment. When I first had iPads in my preschool classroom, myself and my assistants used the iPads to enter TS GOLD observations as they happened.  It saved time and paper!  Teachers can use Recorder HD application to audio record observations and then listen to them later to enter in accurate observations.

Is there any research about correlations between “screen time” and attention deficit disorder? Not that I am aware of.  As I said in the webinar, there are a lot questions being raised, and there are not a lot of answers.  These questions however are informing researchers of what topics to explore in years to come.  We can only hope that some of these questions get answered to so some of the fears with technology can be eased.

Are teachers finding that many of the Pre-K-2 students are at roughly the same technology instructional level? Similar to any other material, children will bring various background experiences to classrooms and centers. So, children Pre-K-2 are exhibiting technology skills and competencies, which are all over the board.

How young can this engagement begin in a child development center? This is a good question, and at this time will be best informed by your center’s philosophy, available resources, and family support.  At this time the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that children are not to experience screen time before the age to 2.  Young children can however be actively engaged in conversation with adults while using an iPad, so the decision, ultimately is to be made which whatever best fits the mission of the school or center.

We work with 3 – 5 year old children. We need ideas on how to use technology in the classroom for that age. Does technology really work well for this age? Many of the strategies provided in the webinar were used with children in this age group.  Additional strategies can be found in my webinar recorded on October 12, 2011.  This webinar can be downloaded on my website, bpuerling.yolasite.com.  The resources slide in this webinar will provide you with access to more strategies to use with children 3 – 5 years old.

I think this would be a great home/school connection.  Have you found resistance from parents and or staff with this implementation? When I, or teachers that I have worked with, experience resistance with technology integration, we look to identify what the root reason is for their resistance or apprehension. Once that is identified, it is easier to move forward with helping families understand the HOW the technology is being used, and how it meets both the schools’ goals and the family’s goals for children.  Certain tools of technology can confuse people – - on how they can support learning just like a puzzle can.