Future Of ICT In ECE? What Does Research Said?

1. Hatzigonni and Margets (2012)

    

   > According to their research on 2012,the usage of ICT in future will be supported by all parties included such as parents and community. This is due to ICT represents new way of discovering things to  infant and toddler. Furthermore, challenging activity are offered and it responds to children curiosity.

2. Bolstad, (2004)

  > He strictly said that ICT brings good impact towards students learning and environment.Moreover, it gives opportunity to strengthen more than one ECE practices. For instance, stimulating creativity and play,cognitive and interactions. 

3. Cordes and Miller, ( 2010)

  > In their book entitled as Healy, they have been argued about how ICT leads to lack of exercise,isolated life, poor concentration and improved language development.

4. Kelly Ng (2010)

  > ICT will take on a great role in the way pupil learns as now itself we already we are likely to see a convergence of PC technologies as a rival chip manufacturers enters each other country.

5. Neil Turner (2006)

  > " Future generations will thank us for the fight that we are undertaking

 to promote ICT and ensure we have a world class workforce who can compete in a digital world"

REFERENCES

1. Cordes and Miller, Healy;2010.

2. ICT in education is important! (

http://www.naace.co.uk)

3.How will ICT change the future of education? ( www.futuregov.asia)

4. Hatzigonni and Margets, (2012)

5. Bolstad, (2004)

by NUR ARQILAH BINTI SULAIMAN 

ICT in early childhood

ICT for early childhood education:

How is Malaysia ECE curriculum? Do they prefer ICT approach to make children understand better?

According to Malaysia ece programs, the curriculum is basically based on academic and physical approaches. Teaching- learning process often conducted without ICT usage. For example, in order to teach about numbering, our Malaysian teacher usually create hand made materials such as puzzles, flash cards, create things using recycle materials in order to make the teaching process interesting. They believe that a better learning process can be obtained in various way and not only through ICT. However, the curriculum had also implement ICT classes to allow the children to explore the technology world but unfortunately not every school is practicing that although the facilities had been provided.  Many teachers are still lacking in understanding the importance of providing ICT lesson to young children. To overcome this, teachers should be given a special course on how to introduce ICT to young children. For that. teachers should also attend ICT classes on how to handle the software and other applications.

As we see, foreign countries had achieved a few steps higher in their education system. They put ICT approaches as the base to educate young children. For example, countries like Australia and US had started to use smart board to teach young children. What is smart board?
Smart board is is a technology device that look like a normal white board but the specialty is one can display digital activity and children can play it by just touching on the words. This method of touching using that board will definitely be a great experiences for young children as they enjoy the new learning process.

The smart board is shown in the video and enjoy watching how young children learning through it :)

By : SITI RAIHANA JEEYAVUDIN

Cons of ICT for early childhood education

The cons of ICT

 

health and safety issues :

• Prevention from exposure to inappropriate content (e.g. games or Internet-based material of a violent or sexual nature, or containing undesirable gender or cultural stereotypes) and protection of children’s privacy (e.g. in online environments, or when information is published on the Internet).

Talent :

• Children will not be able to show their talents and their mastery of somethings can not be assessed and will be abandoned. Their sensory stimuli  cannot be developed because they do not know anythings real. For example, students will learn something like the apple in the image only without the actual experience of it by feeling that apple is actually round and sweet. This is because children will easily remember things and learn through their experiences around.

Addicted :

• They can become addicted to computer games. So their development will not happen with what they should be achieved. They just think out how they can win the game only from the corner of social-emotional, child has the selfishness and do not want to budge. If it was adapted in their lifetimes as an example in kindergarten children like this will never share their toys.

teacher :

• Teachers will be lazy because they can use internet access and e-mail. Teaching methods will be in stereotyped and they become not productive and creative teachers. This indirectly makes children lazy to learn and quickly become bored in lessons.

language learning :

• the use of computers will not be able to correctly pronounce the study because they only hear the word of the audio played by the computer. Then the level of communication skills they will be very weak. They will not be able to use phrases appropriate sentences for their weaknesses in terms of diction election.

By: Nor Suhaila Abd Ghani

reference : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_technology

the pros of ICT... :)

• Children will be able to be more creative in solving the problem by using technology in the classroom and daily life routines. For example, children like to help his or her mother in cooking at kitchen then they can discover the recipes for his or her mother.

• By using technology in the classroom, children can improve their skills in listening, reading, writing, speaking. other than that, they also good in active listening such as the child explore the activity through game that have speaker which help children to be more confident in doing any activity.

• For teacher, they may easy to planning and preparation of lessons and designing material which student can explore a variety of activity. For example, teacher can observe the child's ability and know more about the child's interest.

• By using ICT in preschool, increased knowledge of children's learning and capabilities, owing to develop in learning activity being situated in the home. 

• Children will get many opportunities to collaborate and learn how to communicate on assignments with people outside or inside school such as field trips program or community service.

by : Farihatul Ilya Mohd

http://ict-adv-disadv.blogspot.com/

History of Early Childhood Education

According to Pre-K Now, the concept of early childhood education started with a European mother in the early 1800’s that educated children outside of their homes. The idea came to America during the Industrial Revolution with “infant schools” set up in churches, factories, and private homes to care for the young while parents were working. The state of Wisconsin created constitutional amendments to include committees dedicated to free education of children aged four to twenty in 1848 and then later, in 1873, started the first four year old kindergarten program.

As time progressed, other states began to follow Wisconsin’s lead in the area of early childhood education  with preschools, day care centers, and nursery programs starting across the country.  In 1926, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) was established dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children and focusing on the quality of education and developmental services offered to children from birth to the age of eight.

Head Start, founded in 1965 as a program through the United States Department of Health and Human Services, was originally founded to ready low-income children over the summer months for upcoming kindergarten. Over the years, Head Start has become a respected preschool aged program found in many communities working with children of all backgrounds and abilities.

EARLY EDUCATION TEACHING THEORIES

The concept of educating young children within the family has been happening for many, many years, but the evolution of early childhood education within an outside setting has many different theories and facets. The studies conducted by Jean Piaget along with the work he did with children, paved the way for educators to create different styles of teaching to use within programs. Many of these theories of teaching are used in preschools around the country. They include:

• The Montessori Method: Maria Montessori was the first woman in Italy to receive a medical degree with areas of study in psychiatry, education and anthropology. Her belief was that every child was born with potential and that children should be allowed to be free to explore and play within their environment. In the early 1900’s, Montessori visited the United States to share her unique style of teaching. The main focus is to always be attentive to the child and follow the child in the direction they chose to go when learning. The Montessori Method is practiced within many preschools around the country.
• Reggio Emilia Approach: Begun in Italy after World War II in the city of Reggio Emilia, this preschool teaching style is based on children’s symbolic language and the context of project-oriented curriculum. With the Reggio Emilia approach, community is a large part of the educational process and with opportunities for educational experiences for teachers to maintain their abilities and to enhance and dedicate themselves as educators to the development of the young child. The environment of the educational setting is also considered to be an important aspect of the child’s development and often considered as the “third teacher.” Along with Piaget’s constructivist thought, the Reggio Emilia Approach, the community as well as teachers believe the child to be interested in learning and experimenting through inner motivation, promoting educated and productive future adults.
• Play-Based Learning: The concept of play-based learning is exactly what it sounds like, playing to learn. Many educators  have helped pave the way to understanding the wonders of allowing children to learn through their play. Bev Bos, both an educator and writer, has been sharing her ideas and concepts through books and lectures for over 40 years. Her suggestions of teaching with a hand’s off style encourages teachers to let children lead themselves through problem solving and discovery with minimal intervention, and to learn through play.
• Direct Instruction: Siegried Engelmann and Wesley Becker coined this teaching concept in the 1960’s.  The goal is for children to be directed through their development with teachers leading activities directed toward specific learning. Often drilling methods are used as well as rote learning. Other characteristics of direct instruction are fast-paced learning activities, active involvement between teachers and children, and positive reinforcement offered often and mistakes corrected immediately.

References : 

- Background of ece (www.funderstanding.com)

BY: NORLISIAH LINGGANG

ECE? What is so great? :)

At first, I have no idea about ECE at all. I thought its just about taking care of young children like babysitter. But these thought changed when I get the chance to work as a temporary teacher at a preschool. I realized that ece is not only about babysitting but it more on educating them for a better future. I believe that everyone who succeed  has a perfect beginning. So, early childhood is the beginning. - Siti Raihana,21,Johor

When I was 18, I can be described as a lost student who doesn't know what am I going to do after SPM. All of sudden, my aunt suggest to give a try on ECE. I was shocked. OMG!! I hate kids ! I hate children's poops and tears. Yet, after a while my perception changed when I saw how noble teachers are and how great kids are. And yes, I am in love with this! - Nur Arqilah, 21, Subang Jaya

I used to take care of my nieces and nephews at my home. I often scold them for their wrong deeds and sometimes,I even punished them by thinking that's the right way to correct them. I let them cry. One day, this thought cross my mind. Am I doing the right way in educating them. To learn more about this, I choose this course and honestly saying, ECE is totally opposite from my negative perception. Nor Suhaila, 21, Kerteh

Since I was a kid, I feel sorry for the homeless children. They are left without proper guidance, care and education. How their future will be like if they are abandoned? So, I feel I should stop all this by providing appropriate education and needs for them for a better future. But where does all this starts from? Its early childhood education itself. That's why I choose ECE field. -Fariha Ilya,21, Kuala Terengganu

During my secondary school, I often feel children are naughty and rebellious . However, coincidentally I was offered with ECE course in my university. I think I should give a try. Once, I took this course, I find that it is very challenging to understand and teach young children. But, I start to love my course because it is very important to educate young children from the beginning for a better future. - Norlisiah Linggang,21, Sabah