What Is The Appropriate Use Of Technology And Interactive Media In Early Childhood Education?

Introduction

The world is changing so is technology. Modern kids are brought up in a diverse digital environment different from that of their grandparents and parents. Children become exposed to various techniques in their schools and homes. Interactive media includes software computer programs, computer applications, live media, e-books, and the internet. These interactive media facilitate the creativity and activeness of children in early pre-school education. Press and technologies, when used wisely, support learning and the building of social interactions. The technological tools break class monotony, leading to exciting and interactive everyday experiences that improve the child’s capability for education.

Integrating the principles of development and learning with state-of-the-art technologies and interactive media promotes a child’s development and social skills. In this sense, solid developmental foundations form the foundation of the integration of interactive mass media with early childhood education programs. Pre-school educators are conscious of the impending opportunities and challenges of incorporating interactive media and technology in the learning process of children. Educators are required to improve early childhood education programs via the grasping of media and technology but with leverages to benefit each child. This research paper explores the appropriate use of blending early childhood education with interactive media and technology.

Appropriate Use Of Technology And Interactive Media In Early Childhood Education

Avoid Harming The Children

Proper use of interactive media and technology should not bring harm to the children. The child needs to grow wholly encompassing mental, emotional, social, language and physical development. Thus, using modern tools and interactive media should not interfere with and distort the communication systems, social relationships, peer interactions, and play activities of the child. Technology needs not destroy the child’s mental and emotional behavior via exposure to seductive images and violent media. Educators need to monitor and control the usage of media and technology by kids, including physical damage. Recent research by (Appel &Gara,2001) suggests the need to follow emerging technology issues such as eye health, mobile phone radiations, and electromagnetic fields. Also, lead battery toxins, screen time, child obesity and other side effects of technology on young children need proper understanding.

Building Home-School Networks

The tools of technology assist teachers in building a stable connection between home and the school where the children spend most of their time. The technology aids proper communication and sharing of information. Thus, educators use technology to build stronger connections with children’s parents and facilitate teacher-family engagement. Early childhood teachers use several platforms to communicate with parents about the child’s learning and developmental progress. Moreover, the families and parents of the children use interactive media and technology to seek answers to their questions, consult and share the data concerning their children’s welfare (Kirkorian et al., 2008). Therefore, the parents feel engaged in the learning programs of their children.

The novel tools of communication like smartphones, mobile software, and some applications are used by parents who are distant from their children to connect and communicate continuously with the educators and their children. For instance, modern technology allows for conferencing and video calling, which the parents use to discuss matters of their children with teachers (Fischer &Gillespie,2003). Besides, video calling helps children to express their emotional feelings of missing their parents. Technology aids child educators in estimating and recording the child’s developmental progress and growth and in planning activities. Further, digital collections such as photographs, video recordings, and audio are used by educators to conduct one-on-one conferences and social media communications with the parents of the children.

Additionally, the teachers display the drawings and photos of a particular play in the classroom or on the blocks of the building to help the parents appreciate the primary importance of games in childhood education (Plowman & Stephen,2005). Besides, the educators help the children take photos through the use of a digital camera, which, at last, they post on social media. Moreover, it helps the children to understand the benefits of reading and writing, thus motivating children to become more keen on their studies so that they can also post their photos on social media. The use of e-mails, photos and educational-texting assist in building the literacy skills of the children.

Support The Goals Of The Child And Educators.

Interactive media and technology enhance the practice of initial childhood when combined with curriculum, setting and day-to-day routines. Integrating media and technology with initial childhood education plans requires the successful practice of digital cameras, computers and mobile applications in the routine class procedure (Greenfield,2004). Perfect integration of technology and general education programs happens when the use of interactive media and technology becomes transparent and repetitive. Therefore, the focus of media integration with education must intensely focus on the activity of the teacher or the child rather than the technology itself.

Successful use of interactive media and technology promotes the goals and objectives of the educators as well as the programs for the children. The goals of the educators are to enhance communication, learning and improving the results of the children (Kirkorian et al.,2008). Technology and media need to be used as part of the classroom plan to support the educational and developmental goals of the children. For instance, media such as touchscreen mobile and iPads enhance the experiences of graphic representation of children as they can draw some graphs. However, the use of a particular interactive technology should only aid the children in achieving their goals but not destroy the children.

Unbiased Access For Special Needs Children

The appropriate use of interactive media and technology in assisting children’s learning must be readily available and equitably accessible for children with special learning needs. A study (Greenfield,2004) shows that technology is an essential tool in helping children with learning disabilities. For instance, technology and interactive media tools aid in developing augmented sensory as well as reducing distractions. The technology assists and provides support to children with learning disabilities to enhance their mental processing and memory to remember past class lessons. There are diverse assistive and adaptive technologies for children with special needs.

Low-tech toys, for instance, have simplified switches, while high-tech gadgets are expansive and able to manage complex environments. Wise usage of these technologies helps to empower children and expand their individuality and inclusion in-class activities. Therefore, young children with learning disabilities, through adapted materials, can feel included in class undertakings in which initially they could not participate (Sadao & Robinson,2010). Moreover, assistive technologies help to increase the children’s ability to communicate, learn and become creative. However, the utilization of these technologies in early childhood programs must match the child’s unique needs, preferences and learning styles.

Enhancing Social-Emotional Development

Appropriate use of media and technological tools assists children in increasing their mental and social abilities. The children have a chance to extend the learning activities in early childhood via the use of technological applications. The purpose of screen media in school is to expose the children to a variety of settings like animals, geographical landscapes and even the areas where they cannot reach. Digital cameras allow the children to take pictures showing their faces with feelings. They can create photo albums as a way of expressing their different emotions.

The technology and interactive media enable the children to document and share their actual experiences via the use of images/pictures captured by the digital cameras and their stories through recordings made and sounds. Therefore, the appropriate use of interactive technology enhances the development of functional social-emotional behaviors. A survey according to (Appel &Gara,2001) points out that proper use of technology facilitates the development of positive emotions in children. Also, it helps the children enhance their linguistic aspects and problem-solving skills as well as the enhancement of self-regulation, thus contributing positively to the development of social skills.

Balanced Use Of Technological Tools And Interactive Media

The appropriate practice of media and know-how makes the children enjoy games that are further applicable in real-life situations. A study by (Fischer &Gillespie,2003).) considers play as a critical part of the child’s development and learning. The media used by the children should be helpful and support creativity exploration and other outdoor undertakings. The interaction between children and technology, together with the press, expands the communication of children and play materials.

The positive use of technology fosters experience in children that enables them to regulate the mediocre and the consequences of the skill, to search the media implements and to know the practice of technology and television in real life. Besides, the educational media offers interactive play and collaborative games involving children and their parents or educators (Appel & Gara,2001). Digital games enhance the development of children by opening their minds to the digital world during the child’s developmental stages. Therefore, children must have opportunities, apart from class learning, to explore interactive media and technology in a playful and creative manner.

Guidance For Parents And Pre-School Educators

Technology and interactive media are crucial in the initial childhood workers, instructors and parents. The pre-school educators and guardians appropriately use technology and interactive media to gain enough knowledge of the materials needed for educating the children. Digital literacy acts as an indispensable tool for guiding parents and early childhood teachers in the utilization, combination, and assessment of technology in children’s lives. The frequency of technology in the lives of young kids and their folks expands and increases in many aspects.

Since the products used in early childhood education vary widely regarding quality, therefore, educators use technology to efficiently identify the materials that are beneficial but not those that hinder the learning activities of the children. The educators utilize expertise and media to get facts, converse with other teachers and even contribute to the professional growth to advance learning activities (Greenfield,2004). Besides, the educators appropriately use technology to make the children ready for lifetime use of technology. The digital and media use of technology for educators enables the teachers to gain knowledge and skills to reason out critically concerning the selection, analysis, and utilization, as well as evaluating the impact of technology and media in initial childhood development.

However, media education for children enables the children to have the necessary web-browsing skills, listen and observe the required media about education. Moreover, the children have the capability to select the messages they receive in interactive media and gain skills for making wise decisions in their lifetime (Plowman & Stephen,2005). The technology is used to support practice and enhance learning activities. The educators of early childhood who are wise use interactive media and technology as significant tools for elevating the learning activities in early childhood education. These instructors choose to practice techniques to enhance assessment of children, and as a means of communicating to a parent about the child’s welfare.

Conclusion

The wise use of technology and interactive media leads to the overall improvement of the child’s learning and developmental process. Early childhood educators have to choose thus wisely the technology or interactive media tools to use in the classrooms. Interactive media and technology tools are essential but ought not to substitute other traditional learning activities including outdoors and creative plays in pre-school settings. Educators have to strike an equilibrium between the activities of the children and incorporate informed and appropriate technology to extend the creativity and activeness of the children.

References

Appel, A.E., & C. O’Gara. 2001. “Technology and Young Children: A Review of Literature.” TechKnowLogia 3 (5): 35–36.

Fischer, M.A., & C.W. Gillespie. 2003. “Computers and Young Children’s Development: One Head Start Classroom’s Experience.” Young Children 58 (4): 85–91.

Greenfield, P.M. 2004. “Developmental Considerations for Determining Appropriate Internet Use Guidelines for Children and Adolescents.” Applied Developmental Psychology 25 (2004): 751–62.

Kirkorian, H.L., E.A. Wartella, & D.R. Anderson. 2008. “Media and Young Children’s Learning.” The Future of Children 18 (1): 39–61.

Plowman, L., & C. Stephen. 2005. “Children, Play, and Computers in Pre-school Education.” British Journal of Educational Technology 36 (2): 145–57.

Sadao, K.C., & N.B. Robinson. 2010. Assistive Technology for Young Children: Creating Inclusive Learning Environments. Baltimore, MD: Brookes