1. Preschool Curriculum and
Technology Crosswalk:
for Developers, Vendors, Researchers and
Practitioners
EETC, March 15, 2012 Fran Simon | Engagement Strategies, LLC
Karen Nemeth | Language Castle, LLC

2. Slides: Downloads
Ipad/iPhone Slideshow PDF Handouts
http://ow.ly/9CfgV
© Copyright, Nemeth and Simon, 2012 2

3. We all need get on the same
page about how children learn

4. We share responsibility to
develop, sell, and select only
meaningful technology
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5. Karen Nemeth | Language Castle
Fran Simon | Engagement Strategies

6. ,
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7. of the top 200 selling apps on the iTunes
Store are for toddler/preschool children
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8. “To stand out, developers
targeting young children should
go beyond skill/drill for early
learning and embrace the unique
opportunities that touch screen
mobile devices afford.“
Shuler, C. (2012). iLearn II; An Analysis of the Education Category of the iTunes App Store. New
York: The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop
© Copyright, Nemeth and Simon, 2012 8

9. But most of the Early
Learning apps…
• have moderate entertainment or
production value
• low educational value
• are redundant
• are rote/skill based according to Simon & Nemeth
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10. “… A framework of principles and guidelines
for best practice in the care and education of
young children, birth through age 8. “
•Research on how young children develop and learn
•What is known about educational effectiveness
NAEYC, 2012
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11. Relationships
with
responsive
and Caring
Adults
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12. Your task: Encourage relationships
Developers:
Activities that lend themselves to sharing,
exploring, creating and discussing with adults
Educators:
Look for a variety of tools, apps, ebooks that
encourage multi-user experiences and make sure
an adult is available to be involved.
© Copyright, Nemeth and Simon, 2012 12

13. Active learning
hands-on and mentally active
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14. Your task: Active Learning
Developers:
Develop applications that are open and
encourage choice or problem solving
Educators:
DEMAND and buy applications that are open and
encourage choice or problem solving
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15. Help each child
meet
challenging
goals
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16. Your task: Achievable Challenges
Developers:
Design activities that evolve with varying levels of
challenge to meet each child where she is and
where she needs to go next
Educators:
Select a variety of tools and applications for all
types of learners and activities that have varying
levels of challenge
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17. Follow children’s
interests and
abilities © Copyright, Nemeth and Simon, 2012 17

18. Your task: Appeal to Interests
Developers:
Design applications and experiences that allow
children to pursue their own interests. Think
about how to capture imaginations before
building skills.
Educators:
Select a variety of tools and applications for all
children’s interests.
© Copyright, Nemeth and Simon, 2012 18

19. Meeting a child
where he is as
an
individual
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20. Your task: Individualize
Developers:
Design applications and experiences all types of
learners- Dual language learners, children with a
variety of special needs, and for all modalities.
Educators:
Select a variety of applications and tools for all of
the children in your classroom. Diversify your
technology the way you would diversify your
library.
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21. Building
on what the child
already knows and
can do
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22. Your task: Capture and use
data about progress
Developers:
Design applications and experiences that track
what the child is able to do, responds to what
they already know. Not just progress for progress
sake… to respond to their learning
Educators:
Expect and select tools that capture, respond to
and report about child progress.
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23. Foster
relationships with other children
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24. Your task: Get children to interact
with each other
Developers:
Design applications that encourage multiple
users who engage with one another IRL using
language and other forms of communication.
Educators:
Expect and select tools applications that
encourage children to interact. Integrate
technology into the social areas of the room.
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27. Do this: FEEDBACK
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28. Monotonous Repetition
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29. Do this: Repetition with
novelty
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30. Assume Understanding
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32. Busy work and
Worksheets
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33. Give children meaningful experiences
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34. Entertain
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35. Do this
Engage with
interactivity
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36. Crosswalk foundation
built from key commonalities of DAP AND
Commercial Curricula Respected Approaches
•Project Approach
• Creative Curriculum
•Montessori
• High Scope
•Project Approach
•Tools of the Mind
•Montessori
•Investigator Club
•Reggio Emilia
•Curiosity Corner
•High Reach
•Opening the World of Learning
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37. Basic tenets of major national
preschool curriculum models
* Child centered
* Active learning
* Plenty of time for children to pursue interests
* Studies or projects.
* Reading with dialog, questions, discussions
* Creative, open-ended experiences
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38. Effectiveness
* Comprehensive domains of learning
* Specific learning goals
* Well-designed learning activities
* Intentional teaching
* Culturally and linguistically responsive
* Individualizing instruction
* Ongoing assessment
* Family involvement
* Appropriate for program staff, children and
families
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42. Wrap up
This is a technology
renaissance for ECE.
Make the most of it.
© Copyright, Nemeth and Simon, 2012 42

43. You can do it.
They are counting on you.
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44. Our book
Our Site
Gryphon House Our Survey
Fall, 2012
Early Childhood
Technology Network
© Copyright, Nemeth and Simon, 2012 ECEtech.net/survey
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