My approach to technology for learning is carefully considered and purposeful. Young learners require many concrete hands-on experiences to develop concepts. My focusing question is whether the task is developmentally appropriate to where the child's life experience has taken him or her thus far. Computers are often more abstract than is appropriate for these learners who are still in the concrete phase of their cognitive development. For example, if a child who has never held a cube or played with blocks sees a cube represented on the screen, it may just look like a flat drawing with different colored sections. Adults have had experience with the real objects so on the screen it makes sense to us. It doesn't necessarily make sense to a young child.
Reading books, handling real books, learning to take care of books, turning pages, and interacting with human beings about literature are still vital for learning to read. Yes, there are electronic books, but they are really not the same thing as real books. There must be a balance between the two. Computers are highly motivating to today's students, who come to school with plenty of visual stimulation from TV, video games, and other technological sources, but I wouldn't go all electronic. I wouldn't leave electronic out because it's part of their world and they're going to be interested in it. But I wouldn't let it replace what we have done for a long time with learning how to read or write.
There is a role and a context for young students to use computers. Integration is the key to my use of computers with young students. I tend not to have my students use drill and practice software in the classroom. Much of that type of software is limiting, and keeps students looking for the one right answer instead of encouraging problem solving. Rather, the students in my classroom use computers as tools for presentation much as older students do. As a first grade teacher, I emphasize using the appropriate tool. Sometimes the appropriate technology is a pencil and sometimes it is a computer, but it's the brain behind the tool that makes the difference.
Computers are not the only "technology" available for education either. I use a simple bread maker to reinforce measuring skills, reading and following directions, and to develop understandings of fractions. A team of three students prepares the bread, having to use these skills. When the bread is done baking, I use the loaf to demonstrate fractions, and the students have a nice snack in the afternoon of fresh hot bread. We continue this all year, so students have continual practice through the year. Because I have their riveted attention when the bread is done, the students in my class are very good with fractions by the end of the year (one of my better ideas, I think).
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