I am pondering the combination of preschoolers and computers, the reason being that I may be taking over "computer lab" duties next year (the lab is next to the library). I believe this lab was built on the premise that computers are automatically good for children's education, but all it's been used for is to play games and watch YouTube videos. I'd like to change that and make it relevant.
Now in reality, I know that preschoolers don't really need a computer lab, and should have their screen time limited. However, if it becomes my duty to make use of this already-existing lab, I want to make it worthwhile. I recently attended a "technology in education" conference where I was inspired by updated ideas about information literacy and about the new culture of sharing and connecting. The computer is a tool to achieve those goals. So what I'm contemplating is doing some very basic blogging with the kids, where I and/or the teachers maintain the blog but we ask the kids to provide content, show them what we are doing, and share with them the feedback we receive via comments. I'm also contemplating the idea of using a social network (Facebook? Ning?) to connect our classes with classes in other schools in the US and abroad as a new form of pen-pal project. Have any of you ever worked with preschoolers & computers? Or do you have any thoughts to share on the subject? I'd appreciate your insights. Thanks! Heidi Estrin synagogue preschool librarian and potential computer lab teacher <mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] --- Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) =========================================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [email protected] SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
