The%20Impact%20of%20Preparing%20Educators%20to%20Incorporate%20Technology%202005%20PBS%20Ready%20To%20Learn%20Summer%20Institute!%20Technology%20Use%20in%20Preschool%20Education%20August%209-10,%202005%20

1
The Impact of Preparing Educators to Incorporate
Technology2005 PBS Ready To Learn Summer
Institute!Technology Use in Preschool
EducationAugust 9-10, 2005 Crystal Gateway
Marriott, Arlington, Virginia

• Lynn Hartle, Ph.D.
• http//pegasus.cc.ucf.e
  du/eceucf
• http//techandyoungchildren.org
• Preparing educators to incorporate technology in
  the preschool classroom,
• in order to capitalize on the benefits of
  technology.

2
Who Are Preschool Teachers?

• According to the National State-Funded
  Pre-Kindergarten Study
• Seven out of ten (7 out of 10) teachers in
  state-funded pre-kindergarten programs earn
  salaries in the low-income category and one in
  six (1 in 6) works a second job to make ends meet
• Twenty-seven percent (27) of the teachers lacked
  a bachelors degree.
• The Western U.S. had fewer bachelor degrees per
  classroom than any other part of the country.
  Nationally, 13 of teachers reported having no
  more than a high school diploma or GED 14 , an
  associates degree 49 a bachelors degree
  and 24 a masters degree or higher. Twenty-two
  percent (22) held a Child Development Associate
  (CDA) credential.
• In West Virginia, Maryland, New York, and South
  Carolina , the majority of teachers held masters
  degrees. In Alaska and Florida, the majority of
  teachers had no more than a high school diploma
  or GED as their highest educational degree.
• Gilliam, W.S. Marchesseault, C.M. (March,
  2005). From Capitols to Classrooms, Policies to
  Practice State-Funded PreKindergarten at the
  Classroom Level. Part 1 Whos Teaching our
  Youngest Students? Teacher Education and
  Training, Experience, Compensation and Benefits,
  and Assistant Teachers. (funded by NIEER, Pew
  Charitable Trusts, and Foundation for Child
  Development) http//www.pewtrusts.org/pdf/NIEER_Te
  achers_050305.pdf

3
Policies and Trends that Impact Preschool
Teachers

• 2000, New Teachers for a New Century The future
  of Early Childhood Professional Preparation
• 2001, National Center for Early Development and
  Learning (NCEDL) 1,200 offered early childhood
  teacher preparation programs, yet most offered
  either Associates or less than Associate degrees.
• No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
• The 2001 report from the National Research
  Council, Eager to Learn Educating our
  Preschoolers
• Preventing Reading Failure (Snow, 1998). .
• Federal Head Start mandates
• Early Childhood Education A Call to Action from
  the Business Community (2003) www.cvworkingfamilie
  s.org

4
Selected Policies and Trends that Impact
Technology for Preschool Teachers

• NAEYC position statement Technology and young
  children - ages three through eight (1996)
  www.naeyc.org/pubs
• THE Consortium (1999).http//www.thecol.org/
• The Digital Divide Network (1999)
  www.digitaldividenetwork.org/
• CyberStart (2000) www.cyberstart.org
• Eager to Learn Educating Our Preschoolers (2001)
  online at nap.edu
• IBM KidSmart Early Learning Program
  http//www.kidsmartearlylearning.org/
• Technology and Early Childhood Professional
  Development A Policy Discussion (2002) hosted by
  KnowledgeWorks Foundation (http//www.kwfdn.org)
  and the Education Commission of the States (ECS)
  (http//www.ecs.org
• Beyond the Journal of Young Children
• November 2003 Using Technology as a Teaching and
  Learning Tool.
• May 2004 E-learning for Educators.
• Technology and Young Children Interest Forum of
  the NAEYC http//techandyoungchildren.org
• NETS National Ed. Tech Stand. With ISTE
  http//cnets.iste.org/

5
Adult Learning Preschool Teachers
http//agelesslearner.com/intros/adultlearning.ht
ml Marcia L. Conner

• Learning can be defined formally as the act,
  process, or experience of gaining knowledge or
  skills. In contrast, memory can define the
  capacity of storing, retrieving, and acting on
  that knowledge. Learning helps us move from
  novices to experts and allows us to gain new
  knowledge and abilities.
• Learning strengthens the brain by building new
  pathways and increasing connections that we can
  rely on when we want to learn more. Definitions
  that are more complex add words such as
  comprehension and mastery through experience or
  study.
• Children learn by building new assemblies and
  sequences of brain pathways and connections.
• Adults spend more time making new arrangements
  than forming new sequences.
• Learning requires energy re-learning and
  un-learning requires even more. We must access
  higher brain functions to generate the
  much-needed energy and unbind the old. Our
  experience, background, and learning styles allow
  us to learn new concepts.
• Also, preschool teachers may enter the field with
  little training and lots of hands-on practice
  while elementary and secondary teachers first
  learned about theories of learning and teaching
  and then integrated theory with field experiences
  in classrooms therefore their needs for
  professional development formats, timing, and
  frequency will differ. (Ackerman, 2004).

6
Which software might would be more motivating for
this teacher?

• ACTIVE X
  REFLECTIVE
• 11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7
  9 11
• lt-- --gt
• SENSING
  X INTUITIVE
• 11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7
  9 11
• lt-- --gt
• VISUAL X
  VERBAL
• 11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7
  9 11
• lt-- --gt
• SEQUENTIAL
  X GLOBAL
• 11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7
  9 11
• lt-- --gt

Ms.Preschool Teacher
7
What do Preschool Teachers Currently Do with
Technology at Home?

• IF they have a computer at home, they
• Surf the web to shop
• Create resumes
• Play games
• And do what many of us do online and off line
• . . . . But only IF teachers have a computer at
  home
• Having a computer at home makes a difference as
  this allows teachers to practice individually and
  try out new techniques.

8
What Do Preschool Teachers Want to Do with
Technology

• --for Teaching with Young Children
• -Make instructional materials (labels, games,
  pictures, stories)
• -Create newsletters to send home with families
• -Keep records about classroom activities (lesson
  plans, floor plans, learning centers)
• -Assess and document childrens learning
• -Communicate with families or other professionals
  via email
• -Locate internet resources for lesson planning or
  ideas for best practices
• -Create or add information to a classroom website
• -Develop and print photographs from digital
  cameras
• -Select and use appropriate software as part of
  an integrated activity/lesson plan
• -Create multi-media projects
• -Create video clips of childrens play and work

9
What Are Some Apprehensions Preschool Teachers
Have

• We all have some apprehensions or concerns about
  using technology in curriculums with young
  children. What are yours?
• (Circle your FOUR top apprehensions/concerns.)
• fear of the unknown and a desire to maintain the
  status quo (the way things are now),
• apprehensions about breaking or misusing
  expensive equipment,
• time constraints involving learning new skills
  needed to implement the technology in the
  classroom and restructuring the curriculum to
  include technology as a learning center,
• perceptions of myself as incapable or "stupid"
  about computers,
• previous unsuccessful experiences with
  technology,
• children will know more than me about using
  computers,
• there are dangers with children using the
  internet (ie. those who find children through the
  internet and capture or abuse),
• computers dont foster positive social
  interaction that young children need,
• children may use computers too much and not have
  enough time with other classroom materials
  especially hands-on materials,
• lack of support from other teachers,
• belief that learning about technology is a waste
  of time because the school would not have funds
  to purchase the equipment or enough software,
• dont believe in the benefits technology has to
  offer young children
• Adapted from Theuvenelle Bewick (2003)

10
What Do Preschool Teachers Need to Be Successful
with Technology

• To be personally comfortable with technology
  (McCarty, 2000)
• Have a computer readily available to use and try
  out new skills, preferably at home
• Time to share ideas with other teachers,
  experiment with high quality software
• To feel that the tasks are worth it because they
  make life more efficient or support learning
  information THEY want to know more about .(Magee
  Jones, 2004)
• To know the basic operation of the computer,
  including alternative ways of doing things (the
  back door) if something goes wrong .(Magee
  Jones, 2004)
• Feel supported by administrators or supervisors
  (Espinosa Chen, 2001 Bewick Kostelnick,
  2004)
• To have a curriculum and program philosophy that
  supports technology integration. (Davis Shade,
  1994)
• Teacher Technology Assessment Bewick
  Kostelnick (2004)

11
How Can Preschool Teachers Get The Technology
Professional Development Needed?

• Basic Principles 1 Ongoing, Ongoing,
  Ongoing..
• Grounded in the learning material and curriculum
  with targeted assistance
• Time for practicing and working out sample
  problems
• Tech support available in person, phone, on-line
• Teachers can work in teams to support each other
  (learning communities)
• Modeling of all kinds visual, video, verbal,
  demonstrations
• Avenues for reflection
• Learning through Story and Play!!! i.d.e.a.s.
  and Atusi Hirumi (2005)
• Links to Online Resources on Technology as a
  Learning Tool
• http//www.journal.naeyc.org/btj/200311
  /links.asp
• Making a good choice about the types of medium
  for technology-based Professional Development
  (Harvey, 2004) http//www.journal.naeyc.org/btj/
  200405/ThreeE-LearningTables.pdf

12
What New Roles will Preschool Teachers Have With
Technology Infused Curriculum?

• It is not IF computers should be used with young
  children,
• but HOW (Papert, 1980)
• The teacher is the key and pivotal person to the
  successful use of technology in early childhood
  classrooms (Bowman, 1998 Chang, 2001 Sarama
  Clements, 2001 Thouvenelle Berwick, 2003)
• Instructional Support
• -as a Modeling Vehicle
• -as tool to monitor and assess childrens
  progress
• -as a link to families and the community
• -a tool to find or create new lessons
• Instruction with Children
• -select and support the use of appropriate
  software
• -to support a teachable moment and foster rich
  language development
• -design computer centers that foster social
  interactions and rich play and work
• learning fosters constructivist teaching and
  learning
• see Australia www.edna.edu.au

13
Technology as a Modeling Vehicle

• Professional Development and Ongoing Reflection
  can be supported with a well developed website
• Environments as Context
• Classroom Examples
• Managing - Is there a place for.?
• Creating environments
• Panoramas of Classrooms with various curriculum
  models
• Observing and Evaluating Classrooms
• Wetsel, J.C. (2002).
• http//ed.oc.edu/earlychildhood/

14
Technology as tool to monitor and assess
childrens progress

• EasyTech as modeled at this Elementary school
• http//www.mtnbrook.k12.al.us/curr/cf/tech/tech.ht
  m
• Teaching Strategies - CreativeCurriculum.net
  http//www.creativecurriculum.net/tour_intro.cfm

15
Technology - as a link to families and the
community

• Virtual PreK www.virtualpre-k.org
• KidSpace (1995)
• http//www.kids-space.org/
• Early Learning Coalition of Orange County Florida
  http//www.elcoforangecounty.org/
• Digital Learning Exchange and the National Board
  for Teaching Standards http//ali.apple.com/ali_si
  tes/deli/exhibits/1000445/The_Lesson.html
• Scholastic Web spaces for teachers
  http//teacher.scholastic.com/homepagebuilder/

16
Technology - to find or create new lessons

• Edutopia, a book developed through the George
  Lucas Foundation includes a wealth of links for
  teachers to use as they build virtual and real
  projects with children.
• Preschool Literacy Website http//www.literacy.uco
  nn.edu/pkhome.htm
• Apple Learning Exchange http//ali.apple.com/ali_s
  ites/ali/index.html
• DMOZ http//dmoz.org/Reference/Education/Early_Chi
  ldhood/

17
Technology - select and support the use of
appropriate software

• Choose appropriate Software according to sound
  principles (Haugland, 1997)
• Consider the childrens reading level
• Software should be open-ended and allow the
  children to create, this is especially important
  for children of low-income and minority families
  who have less access at home (Bowman, 1998
  Clements Sarama, 2001)
• Monitor the childrens software use often to
  learn about each childs unique learning style
  and emerging learning (Chang, 2001)

18
Technology - to support a teachable moment and
foster rich language development

• The Kids Got Taken by Aliensan original
  screenplay by Jahad and TaurusRated 5 for 5
  year olds
• Damian, B. (2005) Rated 5 for five year olds,
  Young children,60(2), 50-53.
• See also
• Kelly K.L. Schorger, J.R. (2001).

19
Technology centers to foster social
interactions and rich play and work

• The area should support two or more children to
  support language turn-taking, extending of each
  others ideas, and augment learning beyond 2D
  materials (Freeman Somerindyke, 2001 Sarama
  Clements, 2001)
• Less than 101 children to computers fosters
  social behaviors (Yost, 1998)
• Place computers next to each other with two seats
  in front with another at the side for the teacher
  to join in or provide support

20
Technology learning fosters constructivist
teaching and learning

• Create real-world environments and real-world
  problems
• Instructors are guides and there are built in
  controls for learners as well as opportunities
  for the learner to modify the learning
• Provide experiences, examples, and experts
• Provide the materials and other tools that help
  learners interpret multiple perspectives and
  sources of information
• Teachers work with children to design and carry
  out goals for learning
• There are assessments and evaluations in which
  children can self-evaluate as well as have adults
  guide and assess.
• Jonassen (1991) Jonassen, Howland, Moore,
  Marra (2003)

21
Technology requires ongoing questioning and
scaffolding

• mental bridges (Huttinger Johanson, 2000
  Jonassen, Howland, Moore, Marra (2003)
• Scaffolding by providing open-end tasks with
  systematic timing of brain-storming sessions,
  questioning by the teacher, supports for planning
  processes, and providing examples or models is
  critical to childrens success on tasks and
  enhances these skills (Yelland, 1998).
• A balance of teacher guidance and self-directed
  exploration is needed.
• Teachers need to redirect, provide choices, and
  model strategies just like they would other
  materials

22
What is in Store for Young Children and Preschool
Teachers?

• Kalinowski, M.F. (2001) The Current Status of
  Technology in Education Lightspeed Ahead with
  Mild Turbulence. (Statistical Data Included)
  Information Technology in Childhood Education
  Annual.

23
References

• Ackerman, D.J. (2004) Journal of Early Childhood
  Teacher Education, 24(4) 291-301.
• Anderson, G.T., Hilton, S.C., Wouden-Miller, M.
  (2003). A gender comparison. of the cooperation
  of 4-year-old children in classroom activity
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  441-451.
• Blagojevic, B. 2003. Funding technology Does it
  make cents? Young Children 58 (6) 28-33.
• Bowman, B. (1998) Equity and Young Children as
  Learners Proceedings of the Families, Technology,
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24
References (Cont.)

• Freeman N.K. Somerindyke, J. (2001). Social
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• Haugland, S.W. (2000). Early childhood classrooms
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• Hohmann, C. 1994. Staff development practices for
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• Kalinowski, M.F. (2001) The Current Status of
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  Information Technology in Childhood Education
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• Kelly K.L. Schorger, J.R. (2001). "Let's Play
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25
References (Cont.)

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