Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/using-technology-as-a-learning-tool-for-nature-exploration/5024045/
Def. tech·nol·o·gy
the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry.
Technology is all around us and is part of our everyday lives, so the question of when children should be exposed to technology has long past. What we must ask instead is how and what kinds of technology children should use to support their learning. Answering these questions requires that teachers, caregivers, parents, and other educators better understand technology as a tool for learning. It also requires that teachers understand their role as technology mentors (Donohue, 2016). Ignoring technology altogether or failing to share how teachers intentionally use technology does not support parents’ need to develop appropriate family technology practices. By modeling appropriate use, however, we can help parents develop these good practices (Fowler, 2017).
In this article, we will share the results of a collaborative applied research project conducted with preschool teachers by Dimensions/Nature Explore and Cultivating the Early Years. Some of the questions we started with were: how should we assess situations and evaluate opportunities to use technology tools with nature, what are some strategies for exploring technology in a nature-based program, how familiar do we need to be with technology tools and ...