Other Technologies

Many tools of technology other than computers can be used effectively with children to suit a variety of situations. They allow the students to be active and offer great flexibility in style of learning and in budgeting.

Tape recorders can be useful resources for early literacy experiences. Children can listen to songs, or follow along in a book as they listen to it being read aloud on tape. They can tell their own family stories, or make up action adventures. In addition, when adults write down children's stories--from children's dictated words or from the tape recorder--children see how the spoken word can turn into the written word. These activities integrate all aspects of literacy: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. They help children develop their storytelling ability and an understanding of how sound maps on to print. Children learn that:

• What they say can be written down
• What is written down can be read
• What others say can be written down
• They can read what others write down

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Cameras are good tools to record projects and activities that students are working on. Pictures can be used to share the learning that is happening with other students, parents, funding agencies, and community members.

Pictures taken with a digital camera while students are working can immediately be put into the computer. Children can type or write captions for the photos, or dictate their words to older students or adults.

Video cameras, or camcorders, can record learning projects, special activities and culminating celebrations. Children love to watch themselves and classmates in taped presentations, demonstrations and performances. Tapes can be sent home on loan to family members who may not be able to attend in person.

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TV/VCRs play back recordings students have made, as well as tapes made by others. Children and families have a chance to see the results of their projects and can learn from watching the performances.

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Fax machines are a way to reach out to other schools, to outside organizations, and to keep in touch with parents. Some projects can use the fax machine to gather information, invite guest speakers, or send thank-you messages. Fax machines can provide immediate feedback that will keep the children involved and interested in the projects, and feel more connected with the materials they are learning.

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Portable keyboards are small, lightweight machines that are much less expensive than computers. They allow children to type, edit and electronically store text (for example, stories, reports, or captions), and to practice keyboarding, without having to be at a computer. The text can be transferred to a computer for formatting and graphics, or sent directly to a printer. They are lightweight and portable, so students can carry them around to use them in many kinds of situations--in the classroom, outside in the school yard, at home, or on field trips.

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Scanners convert information created in another form, such as drawings or printed pages, into a digital form the computer can accept. A scanner can combine the best of two worlds: students may create pictures using any media (crayons, paints, pen and ink), then scan them into a computer. Students can type or dictate captions or stories to accompany the scanned image.

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Drawings and text can also be put into a slide show or multimedia presentation, e-mailed to family members, or included on a class or school Web site. Older children writing reports or making presentations can scan maps and photos both to add interest and to show their message visually.

Digital microscopes display high-quality magnified images on the computer screen. The lightweight, handheld device connects to the computer with a cable, allowing children to take the microscope to nearby objects.

The microscope lets young children actively explore and encourages language opportunities that come with involvement. In addition to supporting curiosity and scientific investigation with students of all ages, it provides an environment for the introduction and use of academic and content-area language. Learning vocabulary in this natural manner allows children to understand and use words in context, cementing their understanding. For children with limited English proficiency, the use of tools such as the microscope provides a shared background of experience and language with classmates.

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