Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/technology-in-the-early-years/5022118/
When the integration of technology and interactive media in early childhood programs is built upon solid developmental foundations, and early childhood professionals are aware of both the challenges and the opportunities, educators are positioned to improve program quality by intentionally leveraging the potential of technology and media for the benefit of every child.NAEYC & Fred Rogers Center Joint Position Statement (2012)
It can be challenging to be an analog-age educator who welcomes digital-age children into your classroom every day. Technology tools and digital media are changing so fast that making appropriate and intentional choices can feel overwhelming to many early childhood educators.
In a screen-saturated world, educators need to know how to best manage how much children watch, what they watch, and what they do while using screens. These decisions require a new literacy for educators in formal and informal settings �" digital media literacy. This digital-age literacy includes attitudes, knowledge, experiences, and competencies that lead to fluency with digital devices and media for teaching and learning in schools, early childhood programs, children’s libraries, museums, and out-of-school-time programs.
Becoming fluent with digital media requires innovative and hands-on approaches to pre-service teacher education and new pathways to professional development to assure that ...