Exchange Focus: Using Technology Appropriately in the Preschool Classroom

Article Link: http://stage.exchangepress.com/article/exchange-focus-using-technology-appropriately-in-the-preschool-classroom/5088801/

Introduction

As technology for young children proliferates, educators and parents wonder if, when, and how to use it appropriately to support early development. Professional organizations concerned with children's well-being feel pressured to issue position papers. For example, the policy statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Council on Communications and Media (2011) states unequivocally that children under age two should not be exposed to any screen media and emphasizes the value of unstructured play for the young child's developing brain. At the same time, AAP recognizes that high-quality interactive media can have educational benefits for children above age two, improving "social skills, language skills, and even school readiness" (p. 1041). A joint position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children's Media (2012) goes further in green lighting technology. While cautioning against its passive (noninteractive) use, the statement says that "technology and interactive media are here to stay" (p. 2) and that, appropriately used, with the support of knowledgeable adults, they "can be ...