Earlychildhood NEWS - Article Reading Center We are always looking for the magic bullet, something that will solve all our problems. And, today this magic bullet for education is technology. It will solve all our problems! It will increase academic skills, reduce dropout rates, eliminate the racial divide in academic performance, and increase SAT scores. And it will make the lives of teachers easier. Well, it may not accomplish all of these goals, but educational technology does have a place in early childhood. Are Computers Developmentally Appropriate? To evaluate whether computers are developmentally appropriate for children over age three, we need to determine the developmental needs of these children. Howard Gardner has shown that young children exhibit a diversity of learning styles, and that the optimum way for many children to learn is not the traditional teacher-directed, verbal approach (, 1987). 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. This approach cannot be implemented with only one computer in the classroom. ReferencesElkind, D. (1998).
Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n Change inStudent andTeacherRoles When students are using technology as a tool or a support for communicating with others, they are in an active role rather than the passive role of recipient of information transmitted by a teacher, textbook, or broadcast. The teacher's role changes as well. Project-based work (such as the City Building Project and the Student-Run Manufacturing Company) and cooperative learning approaches prompt this change in roles, whether technology is used or not. IncreasedMotivation andSelfEsteem The most common--and in fact, nearly universal--teacher-reported effect on students was an increase in motivation. The kids that don't necessarily star can become the stars. Teachers talked about motivation from a number of different perspectives. Kids like the immediate results. Technology is the ultimate carrot for students. The computer has been an empowering tool to the students. I see more confidence in the kids here. . . .
www.project2061.org/publications/earlychild/online/perspect/johnson.htm Dialogue on Early Childhood Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Perspectives Early Childhood Education in Science, Mathematics, and Technology: An NSTA Perspective Fred Johnson The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) believes two issues must be considered regarding early childhood education. Current research on brain development emphasizes the importance of early stimulation in developing brain connections from birth. “Learning windows”—optimal times for learning at particular developmental stages—should be used to enhance understanding of science, mathematics, and technology in young children. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development was created in the 1920s, long before access to medical imaging technology and current brain research was available. Research on children’s motivation to learn and their underachievement reveals that young children are full of curiosity and a passion for learning (Raffini 1993). Financing issues are always a concern. References Clark, J.
100 Ways You Should Be Using Facebook in Your Classroom Facebook isn't just a great way for you to find old friends or learn about what's happening this weekend, it is also an incredible learning tool. Teachers can utilize Facebook for class projects, for enhancing communication, and for engaging students in a manner that might not be entirely possible in traditional classroom settings. Read on to learn how you can be using Facebook in your classroom, no matter if you are a professor, student, working online, or showing up in person for class. Note: Check out our updated version of this article for even more suggestions on Facebook in your class. Class Projects The following ideas are just a starting point for class projects that can be used with Facebook in the classroom. Follow news feeds. Facilitate Communication An excellent way to ensure students are more engaged in the learning experience, whether in a traditional classroom or at accredited online colleges, is by strengthening the communication between students and student-to-teacher.
Nature, Nurture and Early Brain Development This guide is also available in Portable Document Format. Click the PDF button to the left to get it Sara Gable, State Extension Specialist, Human Development Melissa Hunting, Undergraduate Intern, Human Development For some time, we have known that development results from the dynamic interplay of nature and nurture. New research on early brain development provides a wonderful opportunity to examine how nature and nurture work together to shape human development. The nature of early brain development At birth, the human brain is still preparing for full operation. Figure 1. As a child develops, the synapses become more complex, like a tree with more branches and limbs growing. Between birth and age 3, the brain creates more synapses than it needs. How the social and physical environments respond to infants and toddlers plays a big part in the creation of synapses. The nurture of early brain development Do people respond to me? Learning with all five senses Thinking and feeling Lally, J.
How Teachers Learn While some maintain that reluctance to use new technologies is simply rooted in a lack of skill and confidence, there is evidence from Becker and Fullan that teachers need to be recruited. They must be convinced of the value of the new activities and then given ample time to work on teams to invent effective lessons. In many schools, teachers are isolated from each other and preoccupied with what Fullan calls "the daily press" of getting through their schedule, focused according to Becker on state standards. Quite a few of these teachers are likely to cling to routines they have enjoyed in the past until they are equipped and encouraged to find, invent and test new routines that are suitable and reliable replacements. This creative exploration, invention and testing will require a change in schools that breaks down isolation, facilitates the work of teams and provides ample time for program development. Effective Strategies and Projects Orchestration Resource Issues But it need not be so.
Advanced Brain Technologies views the brain as being malleable and plastic. All material protected under copyright law and US. Trademark. Some exciting recent research is beginning to uncover the biochemical and genetic changes found in ADHD and brain dysfunction: Low Neurotransmitters. Genetic Defects. The only way to actually increase the level of neurotransmitters in patients suffering from neurotransmitter deficiency disease is by giving them the amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that the body needs to build neurotransmitters. Our neuro-supplement Balance Formula 1 is the perfect supplement to help with this. Dr. Teachers Report Educational Benefits of Frequent Technology Use Research | News Teachers Report Educational Benefits of Frequent Technology Use Teachers who use technology frequently in their classrooms perceive greater benefits to student learning--particularly learning 21st century skills--than teachers who are less frequent users. That's one of the major findings from a K-12 technology study released Monday by researchers out of the Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership at Minnesota's Walden University. The report, titled "Educators, Technology and 21st Century Skills: Dispelling Five Myths," was based on a survey of more than 1,000 K-12 educators and school administrators in the United States, specifically 783 teachers and 274 principals or assistant principals. What it found was a great disparity between teachers in terms of their uses of technology, although, contrary to expectations, the frequency of technology use wasn't predicted by teacher experience. Secondary teachers tended to be more heavy users than elementary teachers.
A Summit on Early Childhood Cognitive Development (April 30, 2002)-- Pg 3 Susan Landry Today I will describe how researchers and educational training staff from the Center for Improving the Readiness of Children for Learning and Education (CIRCLE), University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, have been involved in the implementation and evaluation of a model of professional development for Head Start teachers. CIRCLE's research and training efforts have been supported with over 15 years of federal, state, and private funding on issues related to understanding the factors that are most important for supporting young children's cognitive and social development. The problem. What educational research tells us. What developmental research tells us. In our own research there are six key essentials for optimal support of young children's cognitive development. An innovative professional development model. We began the training program with a 3-day workshop to inform and problem-solve with program administrators, coordinators, and mentor teachers.
Ed Tech in the Classroom The other day an upper school student came into the library looking for a copy of a literary classic. I pulled a copy off the shelf, excited to get a requested book into the hands of a young reader. I couldn’t help but notice, however, the tiny print and the yellowed, discolored pages. I thought to myself, “I’d rather read this book on a clean computer screen.” A lightbulb switched on in my bibliophile brain. Many works in the public domain (no longer under copyright law) are freely distributed online. The student happened to have her Macbook with her, so I showed her how search for the book at Project Gutenberg, highlight the html text, and copy it into a Word document to save on her computer. Check out Project Gutenberg, which offers free, digital books that were previously published by bona fide publishers. When downloading ebooks, I suggest making a folder to keep your collection handy, easy-to find, and easy-to-manage. In the end, the yellowed paperback was put back on the shelf.