For more than 50 years, the RELs have collaborated with school districts, state departments of education, and other education stakeholders to help them generate and use evidence and improve student outcomes. Read more
Home Blogs Meaningful online education for our youngest learners: Tips to reconcile the need for e-learning with how young children learn best
When schools suddenly closed down last March, many teachers lacked experience with using technology to instruct students and connect with them. In early childhood and early elementary school classes, this challenge was compounded by the fact that many teachers consider e-learning to be developmentally inappropriate for younger students. Teachers’ years of experience told them that rather than sitting and learning passively by staring at computers or tablets, young learners need to move their bodies, practice their fine motor skills, interact with peers, use manipulatives, and play.
As schools reopen for the 2020/21 academic year, many districts plan to incorporate educational technology, such as online learning management systems and educational apps. How can early childhood and early elementary school teachers reconcile the need for e-learning with what they know about how young children learn best?
Luckily, research can help educators resolve this dilemma. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD, a nationally renowned psychologist, collaborated with colleagues to produce standards for evaluating educational apps based on the science of learning. According to Dr. Pasek and her colleagues (2015), apps that are designed for young children are most effective when they promote the following four pillars of learning:
When teachers select apps with these four pillars in mind, they set up younger children for more successful learning experiences. However, just as important as these pillars is the context surrounding the use of an e-learning app. Teachers should be intentional about setting their learning objectives first and then selecting apps that align with those objectives, instead of the reverse. Similarly, teachers should ensure that apps provide mechanisms for assessing students’ learning so that teachers can build from the app in future instruction.
With this information in hand, early childhood and early elementary school teachers can feel more confident about providing technology-mediated learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate for young learners when used in regulated amounts.
To learn more about apps that encourage content creation by young students, check out this Edutopia blog post that highlights seven apps available for use.
Browse REL Southwest’s searchable spreadsheets of resources that educators and caregivers can use to support young children’s learning and development at home, including e-learning apps and programs.
Hirsh-Pasek, K., Zosh, J. M., Golinkoff, R. M., Gray, J. H., Robb, M. B., & Kaufman, J. (2015). Putting education in “educational” apps: Lessons from the science of learning. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 16(1), 3–34. doi:10.1177/1529100615569721
Roseberry, S., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Golinkoff, R. M. (2014). Skype me! Socially contingent interactions help toddlers learn language. Child Development, 85(3), 956–970. doi:10.1111/cdev.12166
Author(s)
Jill Bowdon
Connect with REL Midwest