A friend recently told me that she was frustrated with her daughter’s middle school because they had converted the cooking room into a computer room where her child could now “virtually” stir a stew on the screen. There is definitely a way to use technology to enhance education, but that seemed to me to be going a bit too far in the direction of technology taking the place of real experience.
What do you think about your child using a computer in the classroom? The National Association for the Education of Young Children is seeking comments from parents and teachers in preparation for an updated position statement concerning the use of technology in classrooms.
The NAEYC says comments for the “Technology and Young Children – Ages 3 through 8” position statement will be accepted through July 30.
NAEYC says this about the position statement:
* It is about the uses of technology in a classroom setting, including but not limited to computers, software, cameras, mp3 players, and video recorders.
* It is about identifying the role of teachers in introducing technology use in the classroom.
* It is about integrating technology in a developmentally appropriate way in the typical learning environment.
* It is about access to technology.
You can comment here:
http://www.naeyc.org/positionstatements/tech
You might be interested in reading this organization’s comments:
Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, a national coalition of health care professionals, educators, advocacy groups and parents focused on reducing the commercialization of childhood, is concerned that very young children may be spending too much time viewing TV, videos or other media on screens. So the CCFC has sent a letter signed by 71 prominent child development experts, early childhood educators, and pediatricians, calling on the NAEYC to:
- expand its position paper to encompass children younger than three, and then,
- recommend strict limits on screen viewing for very young children in classrooms or childcare settings.
(I am a long-time member of CCFC and learned about the call for comments via an email from them.)
I would welcome your thoughts here on the issue of technology in early education. If you send a comment, please let us know what you told the NAEYC.
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