Alyssa Silberman

Dialectic Journal

“Selected Examples of Effective Classroom Practice Involving Technology Tools and Interactive Media”

Infants and Toddlers / “Avoid passive screen time. While some parents may claim that baby videos may calm an otherwise fussy child, there is little research to suggest that infants and toddlers learn from watching videos.” / Although active screen time inherently possesses more educational value for children, the American Association of Pediatrics recommends an absence of exposure to screens for children under the age of two years (Huisman, 2014). While quality viewing material coupled with appropriate adult mediation will undeniably contribute to an increased knowledge of the world for toddlers, the media targeted to infants is developmentally inappropriate. For example, in the television show Baby Einstein, the frequent scene changes are discombobulated. According to Dimitri Christakis in his TED Talk titled Media and Children, this preconditions the mind to expect high levels of stimulation, resulting in inattention later in life (Christakis, 2011).
Preschoolers and Kindergartners / “Explore digital storytelling with children. Co-create digital books with photos of the children’s play or work; attach digital audio files with the child as the narrator.” / As storytelling is an important element on the pathway to fluent oral language development and emergent writing in young children, incorporating digital technology is a proven method of fostering growth within the context of the narrative classroom. By capturing these attempts at literacy on an electronic device, they can be viewed on multiple occasions, allowing the students to acquire an awareness of story structure (RainvilleGordh, 2016). In addition, this gives children quality interactions with devices, useful for establishing an initial understanding of their primitive functions.
School-Age Children / “Explore a wide range of quality interactive media experiences, on a variety of platforms. These include literacy software, games, and technologies that go beyond drill and practice and foster creativity.” / By integrating multiple media applications on numerous technological devices into the classroom, teachers can individualize their instruction to meet the varied needs of all school-age children. Using personalized learning plans to differentiate lessons (Cavanagh, 2014), a culture of inclusivity can be perpetuated while also providing students with the tools necessary for the job world of the 21st century. However, schools focused solely on technological education fail to foster the necessary socialization component, hindering students’ growth. As a result, these devices belong in classroom spaces, but not to the detriment of other educational elements.

References

Cavanagh, S. (2014). What is Personalized Learning?

Christakis, D. (2011, December 28). TEDxRainier - Dimitri Christakis - Media and Children.

Retrieved November 07, 2017, from

Huisman, S. (2014, March 03). Focus on Family: Parent Connection: Media in the Home with

Young Children. Retrieved November 07, 2017, from

NAEYC. (2012). Selected Examples of Effective Classroom Practice Involving Technology

Tools and Interactive Media.

Rainville, K. N., & Gordh, B. (2016). DigitalCommons@SHU. Retrieved November 07, 2017,

from