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Working for Change in ECE: Technology in Child Development
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Working for Change in ECE: Technology in Child Development
The application of technology in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and its tolerance of
use by children is a trending issue in child development debates. In the global context,
technology plays a critical role in every industry. Its evolution is unprecedented and ECE experts
should maintain a constant balance on how to teach technology, and how to teach with
technology. Technological devices have pervaded the today’s learning and entertainment
environments, prompting teachers and other ECE educators to maintain a close observation on
how it impacts child education and development. It influences the lives of many children, who
finds it useful in almost every facet of life: in school, at home, and in communications. Because
technology has become strongly rooted in the contemporary life, it is important for educators to
incorporate it in ECE programs to prepare children (and with conformity) to the emerging living
trends and while embracing the change, they should teach digital resilience to oversee how
children interact with technological devices.
The society has categorized modern preschoolers as “digital natives.” The today’s
children grow in and with technology to an extent that they familiarize with digital devices such
as smartphones and computers from a tender age (Mantilla & Edwards, 2019). Ironically, it is
common for children to instruct adults on working with interactive technical devices and
applications, and lecturing them to understand the latest piece of digital or technological
wizardry. However, the use of technology in ECE has become a controversial topic. A common
parental concern when it comes to using technology or teaching it in the classroom is the extent
of its consumption (Athena Career Academy, 2020). Most parents believe that since their
children have enough exposure to technology in their daily lives and at home, it should not be
introduced in classrooms as it would amount to adverse overconsumption levels (Harris & Al-
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Bataineh, 2015). While this could be the case and a common factor in most parents, they should
understand that technology has become a basic facility in the modern world and when used in a
focused and specific ways, it can support early childhood education and foster the achievement
of preschool learning goals.
Advocating the use of technology in child education and development does not dispute,
eliminate, or displace the implementation of traditional tactile learning and outdoor play methods
such as the use of sensory bins, wooden blocks, and colored plastic cubes. It complements such
conventional methods. Implementing technology in tandem with traditional classroom teaching
techniques allow more opportunities for learners of different ages and abilities to effectively
engage with teachers, communicate, and explore their physical and mental domains (Athena
Career Academy, 2020). Evidently, using technology has benefited learners in building
communities, promoting creativity, developing vital literacy and math skills, expanding
imagination, and fostering engagement (Graafland, 2018). These benefits enable even
preschoolers to fit in and interact freely in the modern world (Fairlie & Kalil, 2017). As the
teachers use technology to engage preschool learners, they should also teach it to this target
group. Learning how to use technology in the modern technology-oriented world is a necessary
life skill. Implementing it in preschool classrooms does not only benefit the learners, but also
provides childhood educators with efficient learning tools and unlimited access to current and
most innovative learning methods, facilitating active and relevant learning environment for
children.
The importance of incorporating technology in children’s education is enormous. It
enhances mental, social, and emotional developments, which supports children’s learning.
Preschool-aged children’s motor skills are still developing and using touchscreen such as iPads
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in a correct manner can motivate children to interact and work together, and improve their social
skills by sharing ideas in turns as they accomplish online school activities and viewing
educational content (Fairlie & Kalil, 2017). Technology encourages children to focus and follow
multi-step directions. Not every child naturally enjoys school, but most of them find technology
likable. Early childhood educators, therefore, can use technology to their advantage when it
comes to drawing children’s attention by making them to enjoy the learning process (Zomer &
Kay, 2018). Children can hardly pay attention to teachers for long durations. Digital devices,
however, present interesting features, sounds, and colors that enable children to focus. Besides,
using computers, smart boards, and tablets require children to follow multiple directions (Zomer
& Kay, 2018). Using such tools overtime equips children with the necessary mental skills to
concentrate and multitask (Mantilla & Edwards, 2019). They offer innovative activities that
appeal to children across all ages.
One of the core uses of competencies of using technology in the early childhood
education classrooms is teaching and reinforcing basic academic skills. For instance, a simple
learning activity designed for computers and tablets can help children learn numbers, counting,
letters, sounds, reading, colors, and matching shapes (Guo, 2017). Unlike traditional printed
packets and worksheets, the activities can be adjusted or adapted to fit an individual child’s
needs much easier (Athena Career Academy, 2020). For instance, educators can switch learners
to a more advanced level if they have mastered and can breeze through an online activity easily
and skillfully. With the same respect, they can redirect students struggling to find correct
answers to review the materials they answered incorrectly or to another activity on their level.
Digital tools help teachers to record, save (store), and closely evaluate their student’s statistics;
hence, enabling them to document children’s progress and respond to their needs appropriately.
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Therefore, technology enhances children’s learning and knowledge acquisition, social and
mental development, and promotes teaching as a practice.
To support children’s literacy and math skills, educators need to select interactive digital
or software solutions that enables them to create customizable and engaging lessons that nurture
the learners’ learning development. This creation should work with both touchscreen and
leaners’ personal devices. Technology allows for built-in and ready-made tools, and the ability to
design and customize educational content (Kara & Cagiltay, 2017). While traditional teaching
methods may delay the learning process and sometimes disengage students from a subject, high-
quality computer interactive software can accelerate student literacy and math skills. The real-
time and collaborative nature of computer software allows leaners to connect and understand
educational content instantly, and enables teachers to assess, identify, and respond to mistakes
that students might make appropriately (Zomer & Kay, 2018). Besides supporting the way
teachers measure and record development, technology also assist in planning activities and
sharing information with important stakeholders such as parents, families, and communities.
Early child development, preschool experience, and early learning are about discovery,
imaginative play, and exploration. Technology fosters these experiences through sounds, colorful
images, real-time video, and pictures. Screen experience exposes children to objects, animals,
people, activities, landscapes, and places that might be difficult to experience in person
(Graafland, 2018). The children can take control and expand their learning horizons without
depending on teachers entirely. Given the vast application of technology in ECE and its
importance, it is crucial to educate the students on computer and technology use (Gottschalk,
2019). They should achieve the basic skills in computer and technology by the age of five
(Mantilla & Edwards, 2019). Preschool learning of technology is crucial as it introduces children
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to writing tools and manipulation of content on screen, which enhances the fine-motor skills and
eye-hand coordination of early learners (Kara & Cagiltay, 2017). Therefore, children need
educational provisions to develop technology-handling skills, which is akin to book-handling
skills required in early literacy development.
However, a child’s exposure to education technology should never harm or interfere with
their social development. Technology should not hinder them from educational activities (Kara
& Cagiltay, 2017). Instead, educators should introduce and implement technology in classrooms
carefully, ensuring that it only supports collaborative learning environmesnts, and therefore,
enriching student’s cognitive functions and interactions with peers (Gottschalk, 2019). Teachers
should understand how and when to incorporate technology in a child’s learning routine in a bid
to avoid negative outcomes of too much media exposure (Mustafaoğlu et. al., 2018). They need
professional training on ways of incorporating technology in ECE to enable them make proper
and ethical judgements, which enables them to fully harness the positive results of technology
use in ECE.
In conclusion, Technology—when applied in education—can be a useful tool for
learning. Its use can help children learn, and develop both mentally and socially. However,
appropriate consumption of technology requires educators to play an active role, with active
parental intervention. Today’s children grow in an increasingly digitalized world, vastly different
from the one their predecessors experienced. If they do not receive sufficient exposure to right
technological tools and ideas, they may learn in a manner that would not sustain their livelihoods
in their future environments that is bound to be even more tech-savvy. Technology helps both
learners and educators to acquire knowledge and perform their duties effectively. In a society
where the use of technology has become relevant and even basic at home, work, and in schools,
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ECE educators have a critical work to provide children with the opportunities understand and
explore technology in thoughtful and useful ways, while promoting digital citizenship to prepare
youngest leaners for a bright future.
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References
Athena Career Academy. (2020). Why is Technology Important in Early Childhood Education.
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Fairlie, R. W., & Kalil, A. (2017). The effects of computers on children's social development and
school participation: Evidence from a randomized control experiment. Economics of
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Gottschalk, F. (2019), "Impacts of technology use on children: Exploring literature on the brain,
cognition and well-being", OECD Education Working Papers, No. 195, OECD
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Graafland, J. H. (2018). New technologies and 21st century children: Recent trends and
outcomes. OECD Education Working Papers 179, OECD Publishing.
Guo, R. X. (2017). CRI Project Report: The Impact of Technology on Attachment and Social
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Harris, J., & Al-Bataineh, A. (2015). One to one technology and its effect on student academic
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Kara, N., & Cagiltay, K. (2017). In-service preschool teachers’ thoughts about technology and
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Mantilla, A., & Edwards, S. (2019). Digital technology use by and with young children: A
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Mustafaoğlu, R., Zirek, E., Yasacı, Z., & Razak Özdinçler, A. (2018). The negative effects of
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