📲 Using technology in the classroom.

Updated May 22, 2024 01:26

Head of Education

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Image from: https://bigfatsmile.com.au/young-children-and-technology-how-we-support-childrens-learning-health-and-wellbeing-in-our-in-a-digital-context-within-our-community-preschools/

Guide for Technology:

https://stonly.com/sl/700a4885-2257-4256-bcbe-114a4634782f/Steps/

This guide applies to children, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.

Technology is a great way for Teachers and Educators to think outside the box with children's learning.

Technology and Communication:

Given this, it is important that educators are not only familiar with the use of technologies, but also critical in how they support children to use them. Using digital touch technologies in your program is optional, and you need to think about the best way to use these technologies to support each child's educational program.

In Early Childhood settings, technology can be used to strengthen relationships between Early Educators and family members. For example, through projectors, digital learning documenting, children's work visible through photos, audio, and video recordings enable teachers to share what children are learning in class with families more often and more informally than is possible in traditional school-based conferences. Woodlands Early Learning and long day daycare is committed to being deliberate, purposeful, and thoughtful throughout our teachings of incorporate technology appropriately into the classrooms. It is a way for educators to provide a range of resources that enable children to express meaning through visual learning and communication.

Incorporating ICT into the children's learning can be designed to support children’s emotional regulation, along with supporting the children’s interests. There are great learning opportunities when incorporating ICT learning respectfully, it is a way for children to explore researching abilities and gain knowledge through different means, and within our current times; moving to a space that promotes more technology in a way that will support children's learning and development.

Children's ICT learning will be shared with families as it allows parents to track their child/ren’s progress, it provides more opportunities for families to validate their child/ren’s efforts and accomplishments, and opens up opportunities for the parents to engage with the Teachers, Educators and Leadership. In addition to using e-mails, text messages, and social media to make communication between Early educators and families easier, technology can also be used to provide information and coaching to parents to reinforce at home what is learned at school.

In fact, according to the HHS report, Uses of Technology to Support Early Childhood Practice, 40% of parent, family, and community engagement (PFCE) products used video technology to model ideal parent behaviors or coach a parent’s behavior. An additional 40% of PFCE products were used to present parents with educational materials. Technology has tremendous potential to strengthen communication and connection between families and early educators to the benefit of children.

Purpose

Provide guiding principles for early educators, early learning programs, and families on the use of technology by young children to support them in making informed choices.

Guiding Principle 1: Technology—when used appropriately—can be a tool for learning.
Guiding Principle 2: Technology should be used to increase access to learning opportunities for all children.
Guiding Principle 3: Technology may be used to strengthen relationships among parents, families, early educators, and young children.
Guiding Principle 4: Technology is more effective for learning when adults and peers interact or co-view with young children.

Implementation:

Management/Nominated Supervisor/ Responsible Person will:

Ensure educators understand how technology helps children learn, engage, express, imagine, or explore.
Ensure that the kinds of social interactions (such as conversations with parents or peers) are happening before, during, and after the use of the technology.
Ensure when you are using technology, it complements the interactions and learning with families and children, and it does not interrupt children’s learning experiences and natural play patterns within the environments.
Ensure that each individual child is considered for their own growth, abilities and development, through the child's emerging curriculum learning plan. This is created through their individual learning goal and through the rooms group learning.
The question needs to be reflected on while implementing technology into the Campuses; Is this technology an appropriate match with this child’s needs, abilities, interests, and development stage?
Ensure for low-income children who may not have access to devices or the internet at home, that Early Childhood settings provides opportunities to learn how to use these tools more actively in an inclusive way.
Ensure the Teachers and Educators are using technology appropriately and professionally.

Educators will ensure:

There is to be NO phones on educators while in the room with the children, they are to be kept in your back in your locker. This is in the induction pack, under:
Section 1: 🌳 Woodlands Campus Environment & Team, then you will see "Mobile Phone Use".
Please ask your Leadership team for the Induction pack link.
Educators should keep in mind the developmental levels of children when using technology for early learning. That is, they first should consider what is best for the children's development as well as considering how technology can help early learners achieve learning outcomes while still ensure the children's learning goals are included.
Technology should never be used for technology’s sake. Instead, it should only be used for learning and meeting developmental objectives, which can include being used as a tool during play. It is a great way for Teachers and Educators to think outside the box with children's learning.
When technology is used in early learning settings, it should be integrated into the learning program and used in rotation with other learning tools such as art materials, writing materials, play materials, and books, and should give early learners an opportunity for self-expression without replacing other classroom learning materials.
There are additional considerations for educators when technology is used, such as whether a particular device will displace interactions with teachers or peers or whether a device has features that would distract from learning.
Educators should consider the overall use of technology throughout a child’s day and week, and adhere to recommended guidelines for active lifestyles, in partnership with families.
As early learners reach an appropriate age to use technology more independently, they must be taught about cyber safety, including the need to protect and not share personal information on the internet, the goals and influence of advertisements, and the need for caution when clicking on links. These skills are particularly important for older children who may be using a parent’s device unsupervised. Please see attachment
Early childhood educators and administrators should ensure that the proper filters and firewalls are in place so children cannot access materials that are not approved for a school setting.
Follow the risk assessment that has been created in support with the Head of Education and the Educational Leader for the appropriate use of technology in the classroom. See link for the Risk assessment.