Technology and Young Children (Early Adoption)

Description:

It is well known that technology has developed dramatically over the last 25 years. By the term technology, we refer primarily to computer technology, but also to related technologies such as telecommunications and multimedia which can be integrated with computer technology. Technology plays a significant role in all aspects of daily life today, and this role will only increase in the future. As a result, the use of technology in education is moving also on a fast pace. Toward the end of the 1980s, only one-fourth of licensed preschools had computers. Today almost every preschool has a computer with the ratio of computers to students changing from 1:125 in 1984 to 1:22 in 1990 to 1:10 in 1997. All of the above enable the adoption of technology in a very young age. Children nowadays are much more familiar with technology than children 10 years ago. This situation interacts with and supports the use of technology in education as well.

Enablers:

1. Adoption of technology in our daily life

2. Increasing use of technology in education

3. Wide variety of inexpensive technologies and services

4. Rapid increase of internet usage

Inhibitors

1. Insufficient funds in some developing countries

Paradigms:

Children will be able to understand and utilize technology from the very beginning. Over the years and by using technology not only at their free time but also in school, some of them may become experts and they will constitute the next generation of researchers.

Reference:

http://www.project2061.org/publications/earlychild/online/experience/clements.htm http://www.naeyc.org/about/positions/pdf/PSTECH98.PDF