Week 1, Part 4

How exciting! I get to blog about PreK, which is so near and dear to my heart. The PreK guidelines for technology are a rather small part of the entire 129-page document. However, this does not make then any less important. As the student grows this will become part of their life. Technology will not go away. We must help these students start of this path. The important thing one must keep in mind in regards to technology and PreK is that it must be engaging. Technology in the PreK room will look much different than technology in the 2nd grade room. Each guideline actively involves the child in the use of technology. These young children are capable of learning and using technology. They get excited about technology. By the end of 4K the child should be able to use software, use technology words such as mouse, keyboard, etc, use recorders and touch screens, and know that technology will provide information that will help them grow and learn. This is where it starts. Just as a spiraling curriculum will start with a process and teach it several times, in several ways, at several levels. PreK is the first ring in the spiral. For instance, students start learning technology language in PreK. As they advance, they continue learning the language of technology. Some of the language may be repetitive but new language will evolve over time. Hopefully by the time a student has spiraled several times this knowledge will be concrete and imbedded in their everyday language. Starting from the age of 3 and continuously working on these goals will help our students become successful 21st Century learners who have mastered all subjects, including technology.