I was telling a mom that her son has shown tremendous growth in Imagine Tomorrow Computer classes. “He has an ipad so he gets lots of practice,” she beamed in response. It begs the question, in affluent suburban homes, how many children have routine access to ipads, ipods, or iphones? It is a very common… [Read more…]
March 14, 2012
The first page of results in an online search for iphones offers sights recommending the best apps to be babysitters for children—as young as one! Putting aside the cringe of guilt that anyone should feel, realizing that iphones and children, and ipads for children, is a crossover cultural phenomenon that is here to stay. Parents… [Read more…]
March 1, 2012
The benefits of computers in classrooms depend upon the software and the instruction, The use of technology to teach leadership and build self esteem depend upon the teaching experiences offered to children. Drill and skill practice software is often a solo activity with turn-taking and competition as social skills of consequence. Computer games that involve… [Read more…]
February 21, 2012
A study in 1992 compared two groups of preschoolers and their mathematics learning. The first group used developmental software and qualified instructors who used on and off computer activities for learning; and the second used drill and practice software without follow-up instruction. It was shown that preschoolers who use developmental software with instruction showed gains… [Read more…]
February 9, 2012
Computer literacy is part of educational reform and is a standard included in state curricula, beginning in pre kindergarten. This is a remarkable change over just one decade, and follows the meteoric rise in the role technology plays in everyday life. The National Educational Technology Standards stipulate students from Kindergarten on should have an awareness… [Read more…]
February 1, 2012
Keyboarding is a Psychomotor Skill Where Technique Is Number One There is a huge difference between recognizing letters, finding letters on a keyboard, and being able to type proficiently. Bringing computers into every classroom and using them at home, is compounded by smartphones and games with keyboards where children may be reinforcing very bad and… [Read more…]
January 25, 2012
“Preschoolers who use computers are smarter. They’re also better prepared for school, research shows,” according to a June 2004 WebMD article. The article continues, “Just be careful: Too much computer time may have negative effects, even on very young children.” Citing various studies, the article notes that especially in low-income families, computers expand a child’s… [Read more…]
January 12, 2012
Computers have provided more than an exponential variety of information avenues. Today’s learners have physical access to limitless sources from Web browsers, search engines, CD-ROM’s, and texts. Being able to retrieve, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, create and communicate, however, is the true indicator of a learner’s knowledge. The original definition of literacy was the ability to… [Read more…]
January 4, 2012
There is evidence that properly trained computer teachers and appropriate software can prepare students to produce the work that would be acceptable around the world. Computer classes can boost language and problem-solving skills and intellectual autonomy. Students with rich computer literacy are not just learning better and faster: they are also learning and doing things… [Read more…]
December 8, 2011
Parents are encouraged to limit the amount of “screen time” for their children while at home, and that screen time total includes television, game systems and computers. However, screen time has increased in classrooms and preschool settings. Using computer technology as an important learning tool within an educational setting has grown tremendously as the technology,… [Read more…]
April 17, 2012
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