I am deeply passionate about fostering a love for lifelong learning in all students. I believe that education is the cornerstone of personal growth, empowerment, and societal progress. My core belief is that every student possesses unique talents and potential waiting to be unlocked through quality education. I am passionate about creating inclusive, engaging, and innovative learning environments that cater to diverse learning styles and needs.
LEARNING MANIFESTO
"WHAT AM I PASSIONATE ABOUT"
What is the role of digital learning in childhood?
Technology can play a valuable role in fostering children's cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and linguistic growth. When employed thoughtfully and effectively, students can reap the benefits. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to provide all my students, regardless of their socio-economic background, with access to digital devices. Early childhood is the ideal stage for students to begin honing their "technology handling" skills, akin to developing their "book handling" skills. In today's digital age, digital literacy is a fundamental skill, and we must equip students with the aptitude to navigate it successfully.
What issues related to digital learning ?
Numerous challenges in the realm of digital learning are prevalent in our schools and classrooms today. I have highlighted several issues that I believe are particularly detrimental to early childhood education.
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Substituting Play and Interaction with Passive Technology: One significant concern arises when passive technology replaces essential elements like play, active engagement with children, and meaningful interactions with adults. This substitution can impede children's social, emotional, and cognitive development. When students are unable to nurture their communication and collaboration skills, we fail to prepare them for success as 21st Century Learners.
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Ensuring Safe and Appropriate Technology Use: It is essential to ensure that the technology and media used in early childhood settings adhere to guidelines set forth by organizations such as NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) and The Fred Rogers Center. They emphasize that technology should not be emotionally damaging, physically harmful, disrespectful, degrading, dangerous, exploitative, or intimidating to children. This includes any content involving violence or highly sexualized images. Allowing students to use technology comes with the unfortunate reality that inappropriate content may be accessible. Failing to monitor what our children are exposed to can have adverse effects on their development.
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Misconception of Constant Technology Use and Engagement: Another common misconception is that constant technology use automatically leads to higher engagement. It is a prevalent mistake that some educators make, assuming that because we live in a technology-rich world, it is the sole key to engaging learners. This assumption is misguided.
Addressing these issues is crucial to ensure that digital learning in early childhood education is both effective and developmentally appropriate.
How do we solve this ?
Technology and media have the potential and indeed should actively engage and immerse students in the realms of creativity, self-expression, and collaborative learning. Effective "active" technology is versatile and multifunctional, offering opportunities for students to explore these areas mentioned above. Audio, visual, and kinesthetic technology can stimulate multiple senses, catering to various learning styles. When we tailor learning experiences to individual needs, we can start to bridge the achievement gap. Therefore, the emphasis on technology in education should revolve around the questions of how and why we employ it. Education should prioritize enabling students to utilize technology as a means of self-expression and collaboration, rather than simply adhering to the teacher's directives. The key consideration should be the purpose and rationale behind our use of technology, rather than the timing of its integration into the classroom. In my view, this can be done through the autonomy and choices inherent in play and curriculum aligning with the COVA teaching approach.
C- CHOICE
O-OWNERSHIP
V-VOICE
A-AUTHENTIC
By incorporating developmentally appropriate practices and adhering to the COVA teaching approach, I aim to equip my students with the essential skills required for future academic success. My aspiration is that these experiences will provide my students with a solid foundation as they progress through their educational journey. Additionally, I intend to share these effective practices with my colleagues at my school, with the hope that they will also foster the same mindset in their students – recognizing that learning is a captivating and enriching process.
References:
Cohen, M. (2016, December 22). Active Versus Passive Technology. Retrieved from http://edtechreview.in/trends-insights/insights/2608-active-passive-technologies
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