NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
The development of technology in the last change underwent major changes and significantly influences child development. This paper will present an overview of how modern technology impacts the way children learn and perceive new information. Young children have needs that are real and different from those of older children and adolescents. Children from birth to age eight are learning rapidly, using all of their senses and their entire bodies to take in sensations and experience the world around them. During this period of their lives they learn through their play and exploration across five essential developmental dimensions (Kagan, Moore, & Bredekamp, 1995). These dimensions include: Social and Emotional Development.
The ability to form and sustain relationships gives meaning to learning experiences. Responsive interactions provide a sense of well-being that enables children to form attachments with others and participate positively in educational activities. Language empowers children to participate in both the cognitive and affective parts of the educational program. Experience with written and oral language provides children with the tools to interact with others, and to represent their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. A child's health is connected to preparedness for and performance in learning activities.
Healthy children are able to focus on and actively engage in experiences crucial to the learning process. Children need opportunities to interact with the people and objects in their environment, and to learn from their surroundings. Experiences and interactions with peers and adults allow children to construct knowledge of patterns, understand relationships between objects or events, and learn ways to solve problems. Children can be successful learners in many different ways. By understanding the predispositions and learning styles that influence a child's response to learning opportunities, adults can encourage and increase engagement. There is a substantial body of research on technology use with young children.
A large portion of this research focuses on the use of computers to enhance social, language, and cognitive skills (Seng, 1998). Studies highlight the opportunities for language use and social interaction that technology offers, along with increased motivation. Computers also make possible experiences and representations that cannot take place in the real world, providing new experiences and improved understanding. Technology cannot and should not replace human interaction or relationships, or take the place of activities such as reading stories together or sharing conversations with children. Properly used, however, computers and software can serve as catalysts for social interaction and conversations related to children's work (Clements & Nastasi, 1993). A classroom set up to encourage interaction and the appropriate use of the technology will increase, not impair, language and literacy development.
Strategies to build socialization into computer use include placing two seats in front of the computer to encourage children to work together, placing computers close to each other to facilitate sharing ideas, and locating computers in a central spot to invite other children to participate in the activity (Clements, 1999). When used appropriately: Computers are intrinsically motivating for young children, and contribute to cognitive and social development (National Association for the Education of Young Children [NAEYC], 1996). Computers can enhance children's self-concept and improve their attitudes about learning (Sign-Kachala & Bill, 1994). Children demonstrate increased levels of spoken communication and cooperation during computer use (Clements, 1994; Haugland & Wright, 1997). Fine and gross motor skills develop at varying rates, and learning to write can be tedious and difficult as children struggle to form letters. A word processor allows them to compose and revise text without being distracted by the fine motor aspects of letter formation (Davis & Shade, 1994).
Following ergonomic standards similar to those for adults can help prevent muscular-skeletal injuries and vision problems. Computer use is and should be relatively brief at this age, and limiting screen time and encouraging frequent breaks will decrease the risks. Lack of exercise and obesity are serious problems that need to be addressed during both in-school and out-of-school hours. On a typical day children two to seven years old spend an average of 11 minutes using a computer, and more than three hours watching television and videos (Roberts, For, Rideout, & Brodie, 1999). Screen time (including TV, computer, and video games) should be limited to a maximum of one to two hours per day for young children (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2000; Healy, 1999).
Vigorous physical activities and play should be encouraged. As with television monitors, electromagnetic emissions from computers are minimal. Exposure can be lessened even more by having children sit two to two and one half feet from the monitor and allowing distance between computers. Technology offers unique intellectual experiences and opportunities for young children. Computers allow representation and actions not possible in the physical world.
For example, children can manipulate variables such as gravity or speed, and discover the resulting effects (Clements, 1999; Seng, 1998). Research points to the positive effects of technology use on cognitive and social learning and development (Clements, 1994; Haugland & Shade, 1994). In similar studies with different ages of children, using computers along with supporting activities (e. g. , manipulatives, objects that children use to help them understand concepts) provided even greater benefits than either one alone. Compared to children in a similar classroom without computer experience, three- and four-year-olds who used computers with supporting activities had significantly greater gains in verbal and nonverbal skills, problem solving, abstraction, and conceptual skills (Haugland, 1992).
Similarly, third-grade children who used both manipulatives and computer programs showed more sophistication in classification and logical thinking than children who used only manipulatives (Clements & Nastasi, 1993). Technology use that is connected to what children already know and can build upon leads to greater motivation and self-direction. Loss of creativity can be a problem if children use drill-and-practice software. Open-ended software software that provides opportunities to discover, make choices, and find out the impact of decisions encourages exploration, imagination, and problem solving. Technology offers additional ways to learn, and to demonstrate learning. For some children who have unique learning styles, computers can reveal hidden strengths.
At the computer, children can approach learning from a variety of perspectives and follow various paths to a goal (Clements, 1999). Poor concentration and attention problems can be addressed by limiting screen time, helping children focus on the task, and choosing software that does not employ excessively stimulating noises or constantly moving graphics. Concerns that technology speeds up the pace of learning and cuts down on childhood can be lessened if unprogrammed playtime is included as an essential part of the child's daily routine, including any technology use. Play is important for intellectual development and, as such, should be included as a vital part of early childhood education.
Used appropriately, computers can be a positive element of children's play and learning as they explore and experiment. The use of technology in the curriculum is based on the needs of the children, the focus of the curriculum, and whether the technology will add to children's educational opportunities and experiences. The age of the child and his or her developmental stage must be taken into account when considering computer use. Two important questions need to be asked when introducing young children to anything new, including technology: Is it developmentally appropriate is it consistent with how a child develops and learns, and with the child's current developmental stage? For very young children the answers to these questions are usually "no. " Computer use for most children under age three does not have meaning for the child.
Children's activities and experiences with computers will evolve over time as they grow and develop. Very young children often use computers with help from an adult or older child. As they mature children use computers more independently, and the teacher's role moves from guidance toward monitoring and active facilitation. Young children learn through exploration and discovery. If computers are used with children in kindergarten, preschool, or childcare settings, the computer should be one of many activity choices they can explore (Bredekamp & Rose grant, 1994). During choice time, for example, a computer center may be one of several options.
Children frequently use computers for short periods, then become interested in another activity. Three- to five-year-olds generally spend about the same amount of time at a computer as they do on other activities such as playing with blocks or drawing. They are more interested and less frustrated when an adult is present, and much of the computer use will be facilitated or mediated by the teacher, which is consistent with best practice at this level (Clements & Nastasi, 1993). For this age the value of the computer is in its open-ended use, not in creating a product (Davidson & Wright, 1994).
The teacher's role is to create an environment in which children become aware and explore, and then act to support their exploration and inquiry in many different ways. Software programs for this age group should be limited in number and appropriate for children's skill level and the intended use. As children become more able to read and write on their own they are not limited to icons and pictures on the screen for understanding. More opportunities for independent use become available with increasing language and literacy skills. For example, simple word processors become important educational tools as children experiment with written language.
The teacher's role is to set up the environment and activities, matching technology use to the curriculum as well as to the children's needs and interests. The teacher is less involved in directing the activities, and more involved in monitoring student...
Free research essays on topics related to: learning styles, young children, problem solving, social interaction, developmental stage
Research essay sample on Developmental Stage Young Children
