This survey of 485 early childhood educators examined how interactive technologies are used in pre-K through 3rd grade classrooms. Key findings include: 1) technologies like laptops, tablets, and interactive whiteboards are used regularly but not excessively to support learning goals, especially in language/literacy and math; 2) while educators guide technology use, children also have opportunities for self-directed learning; 3) most educators feel comfortable using established technologies but less so with newer devices; and 4) professional development and cost are barriers, but free online content is widely used. The bottom line is technology is integrated thoughtfully to enhance learning when available.

1. What’s REALLY Happening with
Technology in Early Childhood Education?
Voices from the Field:
2012 National Early Childhood Technology Today Survey
Lilla Dale McManis, Ph.D. Karen Nemeth, Ed.M. Fran Simon, M.Ed.
CS2277
Copyright 2013 by ECTC. All rights reserved.

2. Early Childhood Technology
Collaborative (ECTC)
• The Early Childhood Technology Collaborative
(ECTC) is a group of three early childhood
technologists with lots of questions:
• Lilla Dale McManis, Ph.D. from Hatch Early
Learning,
• Karen Nemeth, Ed.M. and
• Fran Simon, M.Ed. from Early Childhood Technology
Network

3. Rationale for Study
• How technology is used in early childhood education
classrooms not well understood (Prek-3rd grade)
• Current surveys often about home use of technology with
young children or mix passive with interactive
technologies
• There is a need to hear directly from educators about how
they are using interactive information processing
technologies with children in the classroom

4. Surveys to Date
• Many current surveys focus on home use
– Zero to Eight: Children’s Media Use in America
– Digital Childhood: Electronic Media and Technology Use Among
Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers
• Just a handful included or focused on early childhood
– Digitally Inclined
– Deepening Connections
– Tech in the Lives of Teachers
• Those with ECE educators asked questions about passive
& interactive technologies simultaneously
• Additionally, questions very global-rarely moving beyond
“do you have”

5. Methodology
• Online Survey series
– Survey I: Teachers & Administrators
– Survey II: Teachers
• Spring/summer 2012
• Open to anyone in the world
• Active = “Information Processing” Technologies
such as Desk/laptops, IWBs, Tablets, Smartphones,
Other Handhelds versus
• Passive = “Simple” Technologies such as Televisions,
CD Players, Digital cameras

6. Who Responded?
• These results are based on the 485 respondents in
the U.S.
• There were 116 Administrator respondents
• There were 369 Teacher respondents
• The demographics are comparable from Survey I and
Survey II were similar and are combined.

7. Demographics of Respondents
The main demographics are:
• Serve Pre-K (2-5 year olds) and/or School Age (K-3rd
grade)
• Public School, Head Start, Childcare, Private School
• Urban, Rural, Suburban
• Serve more children of poverty (50% or more), Serve
fewer children of poverty (less than 50%)
• New educator (less than 5 yrs), Experienced educator
(more than 5 years)
• Degreed (4 yr or higher), Non-degreed

8. About the Respondents
Community Type Poverty Children Served

9. About the Respondents
Program Type Ages Children Served

10. About the Respondents
Degreed (4 yr & up) Years Experience

11. Why ECE Educators Use Technology?
Our first area of interest was around the reasons that
early childhood educators use technology with the
children in their program classrooms…..

12. Main Reasons for Using

13. Most Important Uses

14. What Technology is Used?
Our next area of interest was in knowing which of the
active technologies are being used in the classrooms
with early learners….

15. Types of Technology in Use

16. What Educators Don’t Have
but Would Like for Children

17. How Much Time is Tech Used?
Next we explored how much time active technologies
are used in the classroom with the children….

18. How Many Days of the Week

19. Desk/Laptops
Believe Appropriate Actually Spend

20. IWBs
Believe Appropriate Actually Spend

21. Tablets
Believe Appropriate Actually Spend

22. Trends
• Used regularly but not excessively
• Used because children enjoy it & it helps meet goals
of program
• More a support than for direct instruction
• What’s used follows availability
• Differences but not easily discernible pattern between
beliefs and practices for amount of time with tech

23. What is the Focus of Activities?
We turned our attention next to the types of learning
activities in which the children engage…

24. How Often Tech is Used
Language/Literacy Mathematics

25. How Often Tech is Used
Science Social Studies

26. How Often Tech is Used
Logic/Problem Solving Approaches to Learning

27. How Often Tech is Used
Art Music

28. How Often Tech is Used
Social-Emotional

29. What is the Setting Like?
We wanted to know more about the setting in which the
use of technology by the children takes place such as
groupings and the involvement of the teacher….

30. How Children are Grouped

31. How Children are Grouped

32. How Children are Grouped

33. Who is Guiding Activities

34. Who is Guiding Devices

35. Who is Guiding Devices

36. Who is Guiding Devices

37. Trends
• Used more for traditional content areas
• Rarely used to support social-emotional goals
• Groupings (ranging from individual to whole group) vary
by device type
• Educators “drive” some kinds of tech more than others
• But give children lots of opportunities to “drive” too
• Do ensure balance between teacher-guided and child-
initiated for learning activities themselves

38. How are Goals Monitored?
We queried about how technology is used to determine
the extent children are meeting the learning goals of
their program….

39. Determining Learning

40. How Often in Lesson Plans

41. For Children Needing Extra Support?
We wondered about technology being used with
children who need extra support such as Dual/English
Language Learners (DLL/ELL) and children with special
needs….

42. DLL/ELL Learners

43. Tech with DLL/ELL Learners
Chosen specifically to meet needs
of ELL children
In every language spoken in your
group now

44. Special Needs Learners

45. Special Needs Learners
Devices used
with special
needs children

46. What is the Nature of Content?
The survey addressed the content used in early
education classrooms such as sources,
obstacles/weaknesses, and money spent….

47. How Often Sources Used

48. $ Spent on Websites Per Year
Program Personal

49. $ Spent on Software Per Year
Program Personal

50. $ Spent on Apps Per Year
Program Personal

51. Obstacles/Weakness of Content

52. Professional Development?
We were interested in the professional development
experiences of educators on using technology with early
learners….

53. Types Professional Development

54. Comfort Level Using w/ Children
Desk/laptops IWBs 1 = not at all, 5 = completely

55. Comfort Level Using w/ Children
Tablets 1 = not at all, 5 = completely Multi-touch Tables

56. Trends
• Being used to monitor progress
• Tech-learning activities not captured regularly in lesson
plans
• Seems available but low implementation for DLL/ELL
children and special needs children
• Teachers not spending personal dollars to a great
degree on content
• Educators overwhelmingly using free over paid content;
cost main concern
• Many different kinds of PD available
and most have received
• More comfortable with more established tech

57. What’s the Bottom Line?
We’re going to close with findings that to us sums it all
up….

58. Best Support for Using Tech

59. Q & A
Suggested readings
• Simon, F. & Nemeth, K. (2012). Digital Decisions: Choosing the Right
Technology Tools for Early Childhood Education. Lewisville, NC:
Gryphon House
http://www.gryphonhouse.com/store/trans/productDetailForm.asp?Book
ID=10023
• McManis, L.D. & Gunnewig, S. (2012). Finding the education in
educational technology with early learners. Young Children, 67(3), 14-
25. http://www.naeyc.org/yc/files/yc/file/201205/McManis_YC0512.pdf
Acknowledgement
• The Early Childhood Technology Collaborative would like to thank Perry
McManis, M.A. Economics, for statistical analyses of the survey data
Evaluation
• Please remember to complete your FETC Evaluation: Session CS2277

60. Learn More-Stay Connected
• LinkedIn: Early Childhood Technology Network
• Twitter: #ecetechchat Every Other Weds. @
9pm ET
• http://www.ecetech.net/
• Facebook @ Hatch Early Childhood
• ISTE SIG ELT