We’ve been reflecting on the experiences Christine Zanchi and Ashley Lewis-Presser had at Head Start’s 12th National Research Conference on Early Childhood!

Here are a few takeaways:

• Many early childhood professionals appreciated the NGPM approach to integrating technology into preschool curricula:
  • Aim for technology activities to span 10-15 minute sessions,
  • Maintain a high ratio of traditional to tech-based activities, and
  • Focus on iPad uses that take advantage of the tablet’s unique capabilities.
• An important element for technology developers to share with the community is a reflection on the design process that led, through many twisting turns, to the current technology and curriculum designs. The field of educational technology is evolving significantly. We all benefit from reflecting on the lessons learned throughout the process of designing new technologies and studying their use in classrooms.
• So many interesting and connected questions come up!
  • How can our curriculum be adapted to work in different preschool settings, e.g. morning-only versus all-day programs?
  • What would a math curriculum look like, fully integrated with science or another topic? How would we preserve the richness of both domains?
• The technology provides a tool, one which is perhaps unfamiliar to many teachers and which is certainly changing rapidly. For early educational technologies to be effective, teachers need to be well trained in developmentally appropriate uses of technology. Technology designers and other players in the education arena must make sure that high-quality, sustained opportunities for professional development exist to support teachers.

NGPM can’t wait for next year’s conference!