Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/helping-teachers-think-about-technology/5019130/
Many aspects of the New Zealand system of early childhood education have inspired me; most recently, seeing how they have embraced technology for teachers and children alike. Quite honestly, this was not something I expected to be impressed with on my recent trip to Aoetearoa/NZ. I’m one with big concerns about screen time diverting children from active play. In our U.S. early childhood centers much of the so-called educational software offered to children is just an entertaining form of worksheets. Large white boards are starting to crowd out space for block-building, filling the classroom with a high-tech version of group recitation lessons guided by goofy characters. While some American teachers have begun to creatively integrate technology in a child-centered way in their classrooms, I’ve seen others focused more on their technology than engaging with the children. Perhaps this is due to limited time with deadlines to input documentation, complete assessment reports, and keep current with e-mail, or just a reflection of our wider culture now obsessed with texting, twittering, and the like. What I saw in New Zealand was impressive use of technology as a pedagogical tool for deepening learning for the children, their teachers, and families.In recent years the ...