"For years, students learned to associate No. 2 pencils with going to school. In today’s classrooms, technology is becoming just as synonymous with school as writing utensils."
Meghan Bogardus Cortez has it right when it comes to adopting edtech with early learners.
Educational technology (edtech) is poised to become an even more pervasive part of classrooms in the coming years. It is, of course, not something to ever be feared, especially when adopting it with early learners. In her terrific article entitled 4 Guidelines for Early Learners Using Technology, Meghan makes a simple and sanguine case for adopting edtech in the early learner classroom.
"Though the digital divide is still a rampant problem — Pew Research Center reports 5 million households without high-speed internet at home — the Department of Education has established some guidelines for the latter half of their goal regarding tech use for kids up to age 8."
The following four guidelines described in her article illustrate the need for understanding and for mindful application when it comes to adopting edtech for early learners.
- Technology's presence in any classroom should be natural and completely supplemental. At no time is it ever to replace the teacher or other trusted learning tools. It should rather work seamlessly with them.
- Technology should provide equal learning access to all students. This involves using it to expand learning experiences beyond the classroom walls, and to open doors for those students living with disabilities.
- Technology should be used to strengthen relationships. These include the bonds between students, parents, educators, and beyond to the general community.
- Technology should be used co-operatively with adults and children. Teachers and parents should both be part of the hands-on learning experience with early learners using edtech. Learning and growing together with technology is key, and is part of the previous guideline.
Maximizing Your Experiences Adopting Edtech
Our handbook on the best questions to ask before adopting a BYOD program will also prove useful in adopting edtech of any kind. To help you with generating lesson plans with your edtech, please check out the Solution Fluency Activity Planner.
