Using technology to aid children’s development

Kelly

8 years ago

How settings can use technology to help children learn new skills

Many childcare providers have over the years invested in digital technology. People’s perception of using digital technology within early years has also changed over the years. Children are now more so than ever exposed to digital technology, they are brought up in a society that is full of digital technology. There is, however, research to suggest that excessive amount of time spent playing or should we say learning can lead to attention problems and even behavioural problems. Within early years settings, it is about getting the balance right and ensuring children are getting the right amount of learning from a variety of sources.

As we know many children as young as 3 are confident in using mum or dads iPad or smartphone.However there are some children who don’t get this opportunity, therefore, this is why many nurseries have over the years invested in digital technology so that all children are provided with the same learning opportunities.

Investing in digital technology can be expensive as there are so many pieces of equipment to choose from and not knowing which ones are more beneficial is a hard decision for any nursery manager to make. Some nurseries have used their Early Years Pupil Funding to purchase digital technology. They have identified the need for this equipment in helping close the gap for children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers.

Here a list of what digital resources you could invest in and the benefits of them:

Digital cameras – These can be used by both adult and child, for children this helps them view the world around them from their own perception. They can choose to take a picture and talk about it with an adult. For adults cameras can be used to take pictures of children’s significant milestones. Cameras can be used inside and outside.

Tablets – Adult will need to monitor the length of time children are using these, however, these are a great resource for teaching children about turn taking and sharing. Children can either use the tablet with other children or on their own, this will help develop children’s confidence as well as their personal social and emotional development. Many settings find using tablets that are designed for early years easier than laptops
Video cameras – Some digital cameras will have the option of video recording, however, some settings decide to purchase separate video recorders. Children can use these to take videos and replay them back, using their memory skills to reflect on what happened. These tools are great for developing children’s communicating and language development.
Bee Bots – These help children learn about programming, directional language and problem-solving.
Interactive Whiteboards – Children can work together in groups using the touchscreen and develop their communication and language skills .Practitioner’s can select programmes which children can interact with on the wipe board. This piece of equipment benefits all children especially children with SEND as the type of learning offered can be tailored to the children’s ability.

The above list is just a few pieces of digital equipment nurseries can invest in. To help children get the most out of using these pieces of equipment management need to ensure practitioners are confident in using them. Having confident practitioners who know what they are doing will contribute to providing high-quality learning experiences for children.