From smart phones to tablet computers and gaming consoles, it is not unusual to see toddlers intuitively swiping screens and confidently pressing buttons. Even if parents enjoy the momentary peace that comes with handing a small child a gadget to play with, parents secretly worry that this screen time might be damaging their brains. But, it appears that screens can be beneficial to learning - and the more interactive, better the experience.
The early years are crucial for children’s holistic development. A quality pre-school education provides children with opportunities to build self-confidence, learn social skills and develop learning dispositions. These build a strong foundation for children’s future learning.
Being present at the Indian Educational Congress 2017, Maurice de Hond, Chief Executive Officer, Steve Jobs School, spoke on the Technological Advancements and the changing scenario in pre schools.
He quoted, ‘Nowadays, children feel at home with schools, with zeal of motivation and flexibility in attending each and every session and they also look forward to attending classes on Saturdays which, of course, was a rare occasion in the past. It is important to consider every component of the educational system in order to educate the children for the future’. He further gave an explanation regarding his experience with the Structure of Curriculum in Netherlands, where the approach seems to be much more liberal and without any barrier in the guidelines for children of different age groups. The changes are not restricted to the confusing pastiche on classroom walls. And he finds this approach absolutely suitable for the perspective of the curriculum, for, he considers that ‘To prepare our children for the future, we, in the first place, have to adapt our way of thinking to this new era of technology’.
According to Hond, the right way to use technology is only when teachers along with their children work together instead of working with the system alone. There needs to be a right interpretation of technology, unlike in the old schools, when it used to be an obstacle in figuring out the concerned problems. Now, Technology tends to solve much of it. Maurice concluded his presentation with the hope of transforming the preschool scenario and getting accustomed to new technological advancements, so that a big difference can be made for the future generation.
“Don’t bring children to schools to prepare them only for 1990, the time has come for them to be prepared for 2030”
The technology did not dominate or drive the children's experiences; rather their desires and their family culture shaped their forms of engagement.
