While many types of technology can be developmentally appropriate for young children tablets do have some advantages. The first of these is addressed in the finding tools reply. Young children can easily manipulate and learn how to use a tablet. This does indeed allow them to focus more on the activity itself rather than how to use the tool. They are less frustrated using the tablet. I have to spend time at the beginning of the year teaching my students how to use the mouse, keyboard, and smart board before we can engage in more meaningful lessons that focus on content. Young children can have trouble clicking, dragging, and maintaining contact with the smart board or mouse. These types of issues are eliminated with the touchscreen and tablet. For some children this interface is easier.

Another advantage is a tablet’s portability. Tablets can be used anywhere. It is always at the students level whether they are holding it in their lap or sitting at a table. Tablets can be used in a wide-variety of learning centers and even taken with you on fieldtrips and outside. It is always accessible to the children.

Tablets typically come with a camera that can be used by young children. These photos can then be used with a variety of applications (apps) that allow them to be creative, retell events, and document learning. These are excellent ways to promote social, language, cognitive, literacy, and problem-solving skills.

Tablets and their applications can meet the needs of individual children and the whole group. There are an abundance of apps out there. Apps easily allow for differentiating instruction. Some apps have this feature built in so that as student’s learning progresses so does the task that they are being asked to do. In other instances you may have a folder of apps that are developmentally appropriate for one level and another set for another level. The apps can easily be organized to fit the needs of your children.

More than one child can use a tablet. It is not unusual for there to be at least 2 children working together and I have had as many as 4 working together on a tablet. It is easy for them to pass it around to each other and sit with it in the middle of the group. This promotes social and language development. They are learning from each other and collaborating on activities.

The cost of apps I find is also an advantage although its not directly related to development. Many of the apps that we use on our tablets are free. Others cost $1 or $2. Apps can be cheaper than paying for a class subscription to a website or purchasing computer software games. The lower cost allows me to have a variety of activities and resources available to meet the needs of my students.

Most technology can be used as tools by young children successfully with a few caveats. Selecting or adapting technology options to be “kid-friendly” is one of these. For example, using touchscreens rather than mouse/keyboard can make the experience much less frustrating and fatiguing for children and also represents a more direct connection between action and reaction, thereby reducing cognitive and physical load. This frees up cognitive and physical resources for engaging with the task or content. Other examples are that interactive whiteboards should be mounted lower than for older children and adults in order for children to reach all areas of the board; and tablets and other mobile devices such as iPod touches should have substantial protective cases so that teachers and children do not have to be hyper-concerned about dropping them.

When it comes to selecting content, finding evaluation tools that can be used to make decisions about that content can be essential. For example, in the Spotlight on Young Children and Technology Book you can find an evaluation toolkit for just this purpose in the chapter “Finding the Education in Educational Technology with Early Learners” on p. 8. You can also reference and follow several of the groups/resources Cassandra and I recommend in the other questions here on the Q&A.

For best practices, these resources along with the NAEYC/Fred Rogers Position Statement “Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth Through Age 8” (http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSTECH98.PDF) can serve as an excellent guide for thinking about and monitoring that you are on the right track. Another tip is to include your activities in your lesson plan and give them the same attention as other activities; with an objective and a way to measure success. This will help you know if you are using the “right” tools in the best ways for your children.

-Lilla Dale McManis

There is strong empirical and observational evidence that the teacher plays a vital role in using technology in classrooms with children in ways that are authentic, meaningful, and integrated. On the flip side and in line with your observations, is evidence that many teachers find this goal challenging (for example see USDOE 2010; Barron, Cayton-Hodges, Bofferding et al. 2011; NAEYC & Fred Rogers Center 2012). Some of the main reasons are as you mention time, followed by a lack of training and support that is in-depth enough to get teachers to a place where they are comfortable and successful.

"Take a Giant Step: A Blueprint for Teaching Children in a Digital Age", a recent report from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center (Barron et al. 2011), recommends creating communities of practice that emphasize collaboration among teachers around how to integrate technology using developmentally appropriate practices.

There are a number of ways learning communities can work for this purpose:
• Teachers meet on a regular basis to determine their own goals and how they will meet them.
• Curriculum development teams form to develop lessons using technology.
• Technology coaches and mentors lead learning communities that have activities both outside and inside the classroom alongside teachers as they work with the children using technology. This is potentially the strongest approach as research supports that novice teachers (and of course this can be experienced teachers who are novice in using technology) make very good progress when they work together with skilled partners (Chen & Chang 2006).

Also, reach out to the developers, especially if a newer application or software. Most are highly invested in their work and want to engage with educators. They may already have their own learning communities or tutorials, webinars, or videos that can supplement your work with teachers. Some may be open to creating customized training that is free or low-cost.

Barron, B., G. Cayton-Hodges, L. Bofferding, C. Copple, L. Darling-Hammond, & M. Levine. 2011.
“Take a Giant Step: A Blueprint for Teaching Children in a Digital Age.” New York: The Joan Ganz
Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop.
http://joanganzcooneycenter.org/upload_kits/jgcc_takeagiantstep.pdf

-Lilla Dale McManis

Technology is indeed always evolving and changing. To look at the constants we might begin with the purpose of technology in a learning environment for young children. Supporting learning and teaching, expanding creativity, solving problems and accomplishing tasks, and promoting relationships among children and between children and adults are some of the key purposes. If we think about bringing technology, regardless of its form, into educational environments (which can be the home as well) in ways that help meet these purposes in developmentally appropriate ways, we are more likely to have children learn and do those things that support positive development and less likely to have them learn and do things which may undermine a positive path for them. To ensure this occurs necessitates a multi-step cyclical process. First is the building of an informed consensus by educators and other adults around needed competencies, which should primarily be about how children can gain knowledge of how to use technology for learning and social relationships. Next is the identification of best educational practices around technology to support children meeting these goals-informed by an understanding of how young children learn and DAP (developmentally appropriate practice). Third is to make a meaningful, ongoing, and long-term commitment to professional development for educators about how to learn of and skillfully implement the first two steps. The final step is to have the current knowledge and experience inform both the continuing evolution of technology and the way new technologies are used to meet the core purpose of technology for children. We are fortunate that there are groups which have taken on this challenge. Many are listed in our response to the question about guidelines and ideas to give children meaningful experiences. It’s worth including again here the NAEYC/Fred Rogers Position Statement “Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth Through Age 8” (http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSTECH98.PDF); as well as mentioning the ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) NETS (National Educational Technology Standards) for students, teachers, administrators, and technology coaches (http://www.iste.org/standards.aspx). Finally, the work on 21st Century classrooms and learning is very relevant here as this has at its core using technology in ways that guide children to become successful learners and contributors. You might begin at the national organization Partnership for 21st Century Skills to learn more (http://p21.org/).
-Lilla Dale McManis and Cassandra Mattoon

Parents often turn to their child’s teacher or caregiver for answers to many types of questions. Early childhood educators have a responsibility to share information with parents about developmentally appropriate practices. Parents along with educators are constantly making decisions about what type of technology to buy/use with young children and how children should be engaged with technology. Parents want to make appropriate choices. I have a binder that includes articles and resources for parents with information on technology and young children. Another thing that I found helpful for answering questions about technology is to send home a survey on technology for parents to fill out and return. I then use these surveys to find out specifically what information parents are seeking and then I can address those questions and concerns more directly. Some educators have a technology night in which parents along with their children are invited to come to school and play. The room is set up with technology-based activities that are appropriate so that parents have a hands-on experience themselves. It is a great way to share information and answer questions. I am thinking about integrating this into my program this year.

These are some of the topics that I share with parents through conversations, newsletters, and my website:
• information about screen time and the different types of screens
• criteria for choosing games, websites, and apps
• information about passive screen time verses interactive screen time
• a list of games, websites, and apps that we use in the classroom along with the positive and negative aspects of those items
• suggestions for activities to do at home that integrate technology appropriately
• information on internet safety
• tips on how to help their child be a digital citizen
• information on other ways their child can learn and types of activities that are vital to their child’s development
More specific advice:
• maintain a balance of activities at home
• engage with their child while they are using technology so it is not isolated play
• choose technology that allows their child to be creative, solve-problems and think critically
• engage in activities that promote social development (ex. Skype a friend or relative)
• interact with the technology themselves, play the game or app so they know how it works and what types of feedback their child is getting
• closely monitor their child when they are on the internet
• place the computer in a place that is not isolated
• bring in a game, show me an app or website that you have questions about and we can look at it together

You are correct that the quick reaction to using technology with toddlers is, “NO.” However, I like your comment and examples of how you are using technology. It is a good reminder that technology itself is not “bad” or “inappropriate” but the ways in which we integrate and use technology are key at all ages. In your classroom you are using technology to promote communication and strengthen home-school connections. I am sure they appreciate your efforts. This is one of the most appropriate ways to use technology in any classroom. You also seem to have a clear understanding that the passive use of technology by toddlers is not appropriate. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

The only other suggestions that I have are those mentioned in the position statement by NAEYC and the Fred Rogers Center (viewing digital photos, Skype interactions with loved ones and co-viewing eBooks.) I know some educators who also use certain apps or computer programs for digital portfolios, checklists, and lesson planning. I caution all educators though that screen-time should be limited at all ages and however technology is being used, even by adults (maintaining a website, emailing parents, organizing digital photos), should not take away time from adult-child interactions and other learning experiences that we know are vital to early childhood development.

The most important next step is indeed to transform the principles and recommendations in the NAEYC and Fred Rogers Center Position Statement (http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/PS_technology_WEB.pdf) into action and best practices so that children do have meaningful experiences. Here are Dale and Cassandra’s top picks for resources available at this time for educators to learn more about technology in ways that promote thoughtful and intentional consideration and use.

Dale’s List
I’ve chosen to focus on open and accessible resources whose goal is to evolve in a way that is responsive to the current and future needs of educators.
• NAEYC Technology and Young Children Interest Forum http://www.techandyoungchildren.org/
• ELE: Fred Rogers Center Early Learning Environment http://ele.fredrogerscenter.org/
• TEC: Technology in Early Childhood Center at Erikson Institute http://www.teccenter.erikson.edu/
• ECETech.Net http://www.ecetech.net/
• Engaging Learners Using Traditional and Innovative Tools. Young Children • September 2010. http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/201009/ClusterResources0910.pdf
• Linked In Groups: Early Childhood Technology Network and International Society for Technology in Education

Cassandra’s List
These are articles that I have read while doing research and when I first considered how to integrate technology into my classroom. These articles gave me ideas and information about appropriate practices in addition to the NAEYC and Fred Rogers Center position statement.
Zevenbergen, R. (2007). Digital natives come to preschool: Implications for early childhood practice. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 8(1), 19-29.
National Association of Young Children Interest Forum Members. (2008). Meaningful
technology integration in early learning environments. Young Children. Retrieved
from http://www.naeyc.org/yc/pastissues/2008/september.
Murphy, K.L., DePasquale, R., & McNamara, E. (2003). Meaningful connections using technology in primary classrooms. Young Children. Retrieved from
http://www.naeyc.org/yc/pastissues/2003/november.
Yelland, N. (2005). The future is now: A review of the literature on the use of computers in early childhood education (1994-2004). AACE Journal, 13(3), 201-232.

After researching and reading recommendations, the next step is to thoughtfully plan how best to integrate technology into our own classrooms and programs. The technology we choose and the activities we plan need to appropriately meet the needs of the students. When teachers are intentional in their use of technology and continue to reflect on their practices our young learners can benefit greatly. Technology is one tool that when used in combination with other developmentally appropriate teaching methods and tools can enhance children’s growth in all areas.

~Lilla Dale McManis and Cassandra Mattoon

Any practice that is implemented in an early childhood classroom should be considered very carefully and technology is no exception. There are a number of issues to explore here. First is the definition of screen-time. As the NAEYC/Fred Rogers Position Statement and others who write about this point out, all screens are not the same. One main distinction is passive versus interactive. The evidence (much of which is cited in the Position Statement) is very strong that passive screen time (such as television) is not particularly positive for children, especially for children under age two. However, interactive screen-time can be a different experience for children. There is evidence that when computers and software, acknowledging that most of this research is on traditional desktops, are used in developmentally appropriate ways, such as allowing children to respond and control the experience, maintaining a balance of tech and non-tech activities, and when teachers use technology to bring information to children and to have children engage while working together, that young children can experience positive cognitive and social outcomes. With regard to the effects on the developmental necessities listed, this is addressed to a degree in the reply to the question: How can we promote children's social development effectively beside usage of technology? The last few years have seen interactive technologies unlike any we have had previously and include touchscreen technology for individual and multi-users and the capability to customize learning experiences. Almost all agree that tightly controlled quasi-experimental research has yet to catch up with their demand and use, mostly because the cycles of such studies from conception to publication can be years. There are a couple of ways to address this. One is to wait and that is absolutely acceptable. The other is to both wait but at the same time as educators carry out careful implementation and study within one’s own classroom in the context of formative evaluation. There are many examples of this in the Spotlight on Technology and Young Children book. If more local programs were to do this, and researchers and industry conduct research at a broader level, we would have a fuller picture much more quickly. One good place to find these types of resources is the book series “Research Methods for Educational Technology”. If you are working in a local program and don’t have resources available to help you to design and carry out an evaluation, check out your local colleges and universities for faculty to advise you. There are many consulting firms available as well. Educators can also tap into social networking to find advice and resources. As for the downward extension of young children understanding how to use technology as a prerequisite for success, young children have always been drawn to the toy versions of these tools (many of which are technologies) they see adults using. As early childhood educators, this has been widely supported and promoted as important for young children gaining competence in the tools of their culture and believed to be vital to the development of a strong sense of self. What is different is that children’s access is now no longer only delegated to toy versions with regard to many technology devices, particularly mobile devices. It may feel that some step has been “lost” but on the other hand it may be that this more fully supports that connection that children seek to be a part of their culture. To gain the answers to these questions means all of us connected with the growth and development of young children must consider, observe, interpret, and share what we have learned with one another.
~Lilla Dale McManis

Finding appropriate websites to use with young children can be a challenge and time consuming. Colleagues or other early childhood professionals are a great resource for beginning to find appropriate sites and for gathering ideas about how to use them with young children. Whether recommended by someone or a site you found through your own internet search it needs to be carefully evaluated using the same types of criteria that would be used for a piece of literature or other learning tool. Take a critical look at the content, characters, and feedback (positive and negative) that children receive while interacting on the site. Websites that promote engaging interactions, social skills, creativity, and collaboration are best. There are a few websites that I use in my preschool classroom (4 and 5 year olds.) I will share these with you below.

The sites we use that do not require a subscription or fee are:
starfall.com (literacy skills, books)
pbskids.org (games, videos, activities)
sesamestreet.org (games, videos)
scholastic.com. (games, books, teacher resources)

The following are sites we use in our school that require a subscription:
bookflix.com (fiction and non-fiction stories)
learn360.com (resources, videos, books)
raz-kids.com (books)

Many people have concerns that using technology means children will not have the kinds of social experiences needed to promote the most positive development in this area. There is a worry that children will be playing with devices and not with one another. When thinking about children’s social development, making sure that children have robust, interesting, and frequent opportunities to interact with adults and peers is vital. This means that the materials and tools provided should promote this interaction. This would apply to technology as well. There is a long history in the research literature that traditional computer centers in classrooms promotes many positive social behaviors such as cooperation, sharing, and collaboration. There are also studies showing that children may not be doing so and many times this comes down to a lack of enough resources, usually too many children and too few computers (for example see the literature review by McCarrick & Xiaoming, 2007). Of course a lack of enough of the interesting materials and tools of any kind in the classroom will mean this same situation. Concerns about children being isolated and uninterested in others when using technology has not been observed in the early childhood classroom to the extent it may be occurring in the home (or car or restaurant, etc.). This is most often the case when the teacher is using the technology to bring a wider set of experiences to the children and not just having children playing on a computer disconnected from the goals of the curriculum. Many types of newer technology support children connecting with one another as they play and learn, particularly interactive whiteboards and multi-touch tables, and through applications such as Skype and guided blogging and tweeting. However, at the end of the day technology is not necessary to promote social development just as it is not necessary to promote any other domain and learning area. Technology is a tool and when used to support and not replace can bring a rich set of opportunities for children to come together with one another and with adults.

(McCarrick, K., & Xiaoming, 2007. Buried treasure: The impact of computer use on young children’s social, cognitive, language development and motivation, AACE Journal, 15(1), 73-95.)
~Lilla Dale McManis and Cassandra Mattoon