It's our responsibility
In order for children to be prepared for the jobs and technologies of the future they must now be familiar and knowledgeable of the technologies and changed happening right now. The Melbourne Declaration on the Educational Goals for Young Children (MCEETYA, 2008) recognizes that in this current and very technology focused time children must be both skilled and prepared for the current and future ways ICT is used to communicate, use and produce information and evidence. (REFERENCE) If government documents aligned with the curriculum are suggesting the importance of using ICT within the classroom, educators have the responsibility to reach this goal in order to give young students the greatest opportunities in their working career.
Don't be afraid, change is normal
It’s understandable why educators are intimidated by ICT and who rapidly it changes, it’s could almost be considered normal. Especially for the early years when confusion ‘all over the place’ learning should be avoided. However, history proves than many times new inventions or tools have been brought to the table and at first were heavily criticized, only to find years later it was considered normal and a new product have the same initial reaction.
Two of Postman’s five things (Dyer, 2009) are ways of showing how change is normal and in the classroom, can provide many benefits to both teachers and students.
Technology tends to become mythic.
“Once a human invention seems like it has always been here – whether it’s a blow dryer, Google maps of the alphabet, it has achieved mythic status. It becomes the default against which we judge things” – (Dyer, 2009).
Early childhood educators must understand that while new ICT’s are new and ‘alien’ to their way of learning. Young children today have grown up with iPads, touch screen and online interaction. One Example is a YouTube video of a child thinking a magazine is broken as it is not controlled via touch in the way and iPad is (click here to watch). Keeping up with Technology means as an educator you are allowing students to thrive in the current and even future technological surroundings.
Everything is a tradeoff.
Many fear that an activity on the Interactive White board may not be as effective as a teacher standing up in front of the class and requesting children ask question However this again is relevant throughout all historical inventions (using pencil – pen, written work –typed word) Eventually this will become the norm in the classroom and only further nurture children’s learning and expand their skills and abilities.
Two of Postman’s five things (Dyer, 2009) are ways of showing how change is normal and in the classroom, can provide many benefits to both teachers and students.
Technology tends to become mythic.
“Once a human invention seems like it has always been here – whether it’s a blow dryer, Google maps of the alphabet, it has achieved mythic status. It becomes the default against which we judge things” – (Dyer, 2009).
Early childhood educators must understand that while new ICT’s are new and ‘alien’ to their way of learning. Young children today have grown up with iPads, touch screen and online interaction. One Example is a YouTube video of a child thinking a magazine is broken as it is not controlled via touch in the way and iPad is (click here to watch). Keeping up with Technology means as an educator you are allowing students to thrive in the current and even future technological surroundings.
Everything is a tradeoff.
Many fear that an activity on the Interactive White board may not be as effective as a teacher standing up in front of the class and requesting children ask question However this again is relevant throughout all historical inventions (using pencil – pen, written work –typed word) Eventually this will become the norm in the classroom and only further nurture children’s learning and expand their skills and abilities.