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Optimizing Technology for Early Learning: A Guide for Parents

A parent must use technology as a teaching strategy, such that the boundaries to it are defined and a balance is achieved between traditional teaching and the use of technology. Parents must be aware of their children’s attention spans and allow them to refresh their minds as often as possible.
1 November 2022

Kindergarten schools set the beginning of the intellectual journey for children. The use of technology fast-tracks the goals of learning, allowing the educators to complement their role in the student’s learning journey. However, given that an education system differs according to the availability of resources and the schooling system, it is essential to customize the technology to achieve learning goals, i.e., scale quality instruction, facilitate differentiated instruction for each child, expand practice opportunities, and increase their engagement in learning. 


Optimizing Technology at Home

At home, technology can match the learning goals and empower the child to become mentally, emotionally, and socially ready for academic development. Being kindergarten ready is an essential step in mastering the skills in the school context, the kindergarten curriculum enhancing their interest in areas that they enjoy. However, a parent has a role in ensuring that not every minute is spent online and that the child spends time in books, social interaction, and imagination as well. 

To optimize technology at home, the most important step for the parent is developing a tech-friendly mindset. In this case, the parent dismisses the misconceptions around tech and replaces them with attention to the benefits accrued through technology. As a result, the parent can support the teacher and the child in accomplishing their learning goals. For instance, the Marbotic kits can facilitate the child’s interest in counting, spelling, educational games, and other elements of learning even prior to joining the kindergarten class. Once the child begins learning, the parent can accompany them in taking challenges and solving problems in the home environment. 

Collaboration with their school

Moreover, a parent must interact with other parties in developing plans and gathering feedback. One of the important elements in the learning journey for the child is integrating the different and unique perspectives of the faculty, teachers, and parents into a synergy to achieve realistic objectives. For instance, a teacher may quickly adjust to a new technology that works best for daily tasks, but parents may lag in their response. Similarly, technology may be effective, but students may be slow in catching up; hence communication between parties may quickly fill the gaps in the learning journey. For instance, a teacher may provide a report requiring the parent to assist the child in typing, spelling checks in word processors, pattern recognition, and development of cause-and-effect skills. Through tools such as Cubetto, a parent may significantly assist their children in these areas. 

Balancing Traditional Teaching and the Use of Technology

Furthermore, a parent must use technology as a teaching strategy, such that the boundaries to it are defined and a balance is achieved between traditional teaching and the use of technology. Parents must be aware of their children’s attention spans and allow them to refresh their minds as often as possible. Similarly, technology should be used in adequately designed interactive methods such as virtual practice activities, projectors, and sound systems, controlled classroom collaborative functions, and cameras for demonstrations and experiments in STEM programs. Tools such as the Bee-Bot Robot and its accessories may be useful in such areas .

Overcoming Challenges in Implementing Technology

It is also important that the parent expects that technology is surrounded by challenges in implementation. There may be upfront costs, connectivity challenges, procedures related to the education system, and other UI challenges. Therefore, the parent must assist the school in devising unique solutions while giving space and time to handle the procedures and adjustments that may come with child-level technology use. 

In conclusion, technology can be used for young learners to enable opportunities and skills development. Parents must develop a proper mindset about the place of technology in learning. School and parents must work together in developing plans and navigating the reinforcement of learned behaviour in both the school and home environments.


Further readings:

1. “The Power of Technology in Early Childhood Education” by Jennifer Ryan, EdTech Magazine – https://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2018/11/power-technology-early-childhood-education

2. “Using Technology to Support Early Childhood Learning” by Christina Quattrocchi, Edutopia – https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-technology-support-early-childhood-learning

3. “Navigating the Tech Talk in Early Childhood Education” by Christina Crawford, eSchool News – https://www.eschoolnews.com/2022/03/31/navigating-the-tech-talk-in-early-childhood-education/

4. “The Benefits of STEM Education in Early Childhood” by Lauren Barack, Scholastic – https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/benefits-stem-education-early-childhood/

5. “Tech in Early Childhood Education: Finding the Right Balance” by Stephanie Shaw, EdTech Digest – https://edtechdigest.com/2021/09/08/tech-in-early-childhood-education-finding-the-right-balance/