Teacher Technology Assessment
Cynthia J. Bewick and Marjorie Kostelnik
Basic operation of the computer and related components
Do you know how to turn everything on and off?
Can you make the computer do what you want it to do?
Do you know how to troubleshoot solutions when a problem occurs?
Can you use software shortcuts that save you time?
Choosing appropriate software for young children
How does the software support children's age-appropriate developmental skills?
In what ways does the software reflect your organization's curriculum goals and objectives?
How does the software avoid gender, racial, and ethnic stereotypes?
Will the software easily integrate with ongoing curriculum activities and materials?
What characteristics does the software share with other quality early childhood materials?
How does the software serve as a learning tool, rather than as an electronic worksheet?
How does the software support English-language learners?
Using the computer for instruction with young children
How does your current curriculum support learning with computers?
What would you say if a parent or colleague asked about controversial issues regarding technology and children, such as teaching toddlers about computers?
How does the physical environment affect children's social, emotional, and cognitive development when they use computers: Does the arrangement and location of the computer center support peer learning and teaching? Can children easily collaborate with each other?
Are you familiar with basic research related to young children's learning with computers?
What strategies do you use to effectively introduce the computer to young children so that it becomes an ongoing and independent learning center?
How do you plan and implement curriculum activities based on the computer?
Using computers for instructional support
Do you know how to make instructional materials (labels, games, pictures, newsletters, stories, and so forth)?
Can you keep records and create reports about the children or classroom activities?
How does your computer help you assess children's learning?
Can you communicate with parents and/or other professionals via e-mail?
Can you locate Internet resources for lesson planning and ideas for best teaching practices?
Can you create or add educational information to a classroom-based Web site?
Can you develop and print photographs from digital cameras?
Cynthia J. Bewick, PhD, is the education services manager for Tri-County Head Start in Paw Paw, Michigan. Her interests are technology and professional development of teachers, curricula, and assessment, which she pursues actively including through university teaching and consulting. She is coauthor of Completing the Computer Puzzle: A Guide for Early Childhood Educators.
Marjorie Kostelnik, PhD, is dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She began as a Head Start teacher and has worked with children, families, early childhood professionals, and college students ever since. She serves on the advisory board for T.E.A.C.H. Nebraska.
The list above is exerpted from "Educating Early Childhood Teachers About Computers," pages 26-30 of the May 2004 issue of Young Children.
Copyright © 2004 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. See Permissions and Reprints online at www.naeyc.org/resources/journal.
