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Pre-K often has a reputation for greatly introducing children to socialization and collaboration through play. However, it can be a vital formative experience in children’s lives. Pre-K helps prepare young children to navigate the outside world and as they transition into more structured K-12 learning situations.
As such, many parents and teachers are looking for resources that can help children get the most out of their preschool education. The rise of the digital landscape has made it essential to offer tools to meet and exceed these needs. However, it is not only the presence of technology that makes the difference, but also how these elements are used.
Let’s take a closer look at the topic. How does pre-K use educational technology for children?
Trends in Pre-K EdTech
The edtech field is constantly expanding and some major changes are expected in the near future. Much of the focus thus far has been on resources for K-12 students. However, more developers are starting to target the pre-K market. This can be great for parents, teachers, and young children alike. While it’s still early days, it’s worth looking at what tools are currently trending in pre-K edtech and how they’re being used.
Some key examples here include:
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)
Over the past decade or so, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology has become more affordable and accessible for schools. As such, developers have started creating more immersive and interactive experiences to help younger children learn. Tools like Google Expeditions are being used to take younger children on virtual field trips to develop their curiosity and connect classroom learning with the outside world. There are even pop-up books that include virtual reality and augmented reality elements to build children’s enthusiasm for literacy.
gamification
Edutainment has long been a staple of pre-K learning. Help children become more involved with the topics through songs, fun, and physical activities. Increasingly, gamified educational technology is being used in classrooms to take advantage of this connection between recreation and learning. This is usually through the use of preschool apps accessed through tablets and other portable devices. However, many teachers are making video game learning a more collaborative classroom effort through the use of smart projectors.
Coding
Programming skills are quickly being recognized as an essential skill for all digital natives. Starting to code early means that children are likely to have a more intimate and hands-on relationship with the tools that will form a key part of their lives in the future. As such, coding platforms have become an important part of the pre-K edtech landscape. This includes games like code-a-pillar that teach children the fundamentals of coding using digital and physical environments.
Meet practical needs
Pre-K edtech is certainly an intriguing and exciting prospect. However, it is also important to recognize that technology for technology’s sake is not especially useful in any educational setting. However, the use of edtech in pre-K is generally geared towards giving children early hands-on experiences with digital tools. At its most effective, it helps enhance the sense that technology can make children more capable and functional contributors to the non-digital world.
Many gamified apps help children better understand contemporary life so they can navigate it more effectively. This is vital as pre-K children are faced with many situations that are new to them. For example, from the age of 3 Your child will likely need to start annual well-child exams.. This involves close interactions with a doctor and vaccinations, which can be found a bit anxiety-inducing. They may need to ride the bus with strangers or adjust to a new school structure.
A key example of a pre-K app that helps address these challenges in a practical way is Daniel Tigre neighborhood. Use a character many children are familiar with to introduce them to everyday scenarios. This includes hygiene routines and going to the doctor. This not only provides an element of technological fun, but also opens up practical discussions between preschoolers, their parents, and teachers.
Maintain a healthy balance
Despite all the advantages that technology can offer, it is not without its challenges. One of the clear difficulties with using edtech in pre-K settings is achieving a healthy physical-digital balance. While technology readiness is important, it’s just as vital to make sure kids aren’t dependent on technology to thrive. This should influence how teachers and parents use these tools to educate preschool children.
Pre-K is perhaps the biggest time that screens should begin to become a part of children’s lives. After all, research shows that it is unwise to introduce children to screen time before 2 years. Your kids may have already had a few introductions via video calls with relatives and streaming TV, but experts in the field say it’s important not to use these tools just as babysitters. Rather, pre-K parents and teachers should emphasize an active rather than a passive relationship with screens.
For example, use games, streaming programs, and online media to inform children’s understanding of community. Show them examples of other cultures and respectful interactions. Find apps to stimulate children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for the outside world and can act as a transition to physical experiences. Embrace creative platforms to show kids that technology isn’t the be all and end of the world, but rather a tool to express their ideas and talents.
Conclusion
Pre-K edtech is a sprawling field, currently incorporating relatively advanced activities like virtual reality and coding. In its most valuable form, this technology helps to safely introduce children to the challenges of contemporary life and gives them the technical and psychological tools to overcome them. However, it remains vital that parents and teachers ensure that children develop an active and balanced relationship with these tools. As there is likely to be more edtech present in the future of pre-K, developing responsible attitudes now ensures that everyone can get the most out of it.
